Tipuana tipu
Tipuana tipu
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
A plant of warm temperate, subtropical and tropical climates, it is found at elevations up to 2,200 metres[1]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 14 - 28°c, though can tolerate 8 - 38°c[1]. It is able to tolerate occasional temperatures below freezing[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 700 - 900mm, tolerating 600 - 1,000mm[1]. It can succeed in more humid areas with a mean annual rainfall in excess of 2,500mm[2]. Prefers a sunny locations[1]. It tolerates a wide variety of soils, including black cotton, but prefers a medium clay-loam[1]. Tolerates soils with a high salinity[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[1]. Established plants are drought resistant[2, 1]. Plants can be coppiced[2]. Trees are shallow rooted and are liable to be blown over by strong winds[1]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[2].
Propagation
Seed - when dried it can retain its viability for several years at ambient temperatures[2]. Unlike most legume seed, this species does not have hard-coated seeds and does not require pre-treatment to assist germination[2]. The seeds are sown in a nursery seedbed and covered with a layer of substrate or sand, not more than 3 mm thick. Germination takes 10 - 30 days. Prick out the seedlings into individual containers when they are 4 - 6cm tall and plant them out when they are 25 - 35cm tall[2]. Planting out should be done in cool weather and the young plants staked and watered until the roots are established[2]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Tipuana+tipu>
Pollinators
Bees
References
- [1]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
- [2]Seed Leaflets — Various · Forest & Landscape. Denmark · http://en.sl.life.ku.dk/Publikationer/Udgivelser/PopulaerPublikationer.aspx?katid={D28373CC-6EF3-4EF8-B097-6D83FABF209E}&serieid={9F1C3DB1-6E7B-4CF1-AF53-F480B0CB40EF}&sort=title ↩︎A series of leaflets, jointly produced by the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, focussing on seed information for a number species, but also giving a lot of other information about each plant.
- [3]Grassland Species - Profiles — http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm ↩︎Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
- [4]Technical Information on 134 Species of Bolivian Woods — USDA Forest Service -- Forest Products Lab · USDA Forest Service · http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/publications/ ↩︎A PDF file, available for download. Exactly what the title says, brief and to the point.
- [5]The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation — Allen O.N.; Allen E.K. · University of Wisconsin · 1981 · ISBN 0-333-32221-5 ↩︎An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
- [6]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎