| DESCRIPTION: A shrub or small tree to 5 (-15) m, with a rounded crown. Branches are quadrate with rounded angles. Leaves ovate to oblong, about 26 long and 14 cm wide. Flowers red 3-4 cm long. USE: Used as forage, living fence, shade tree and stream bank erosion. Also used as a medicinal plant to treat humans and animals. Sprouts are consumption in maize porridge. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. Poor dry season growth. COMMON NAMES: Trichanthera. FURTHER INF: Native of streams and swampy areas and wet forests of Central America and northern countries of South America. It is a lowland species from the humid tropics and performs best at mean temperatures of about 30°C. It does not tolerate frost. Adapted to 1500-3000 mm annual rainfall environments with outer limits of 1000 mm and over 5000 mm. Although common to stream banks, it requires well-drained soils. Will drop its leaves during dry periods, but leaves regrow rapidly following rain. It has considerable shade tolerance. Well adapted to acid infertile soils of pH down to 4.5. Produces 3-6 t/ha DM in acid-infertile soils and up to 12 t/ha/year DM have been reported in environments more conducive to growth. |