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Cytisus proliferus

AuthorityL. f.
FamilyMagnoliopsida:Rosidae:Fabales:Leguminosae
Synonyms
Common names
Editor
Ecocrop code5175



Notes
DESCRIPTION: It is a shrub or a small drooping tree to over 3 m tall. The leaves are in groups of three, tapering at both ends and widest in the middle, about 1-3 cm long and greyish-green in colour. There are fine silky hairs on the underside of the leaves, along the stems and around the base of the flowers. The flowers are white and shaped like pea flowers. The seed pod is 4-5 cm long. USE: It is a highly valued fodder bush from which heavy yields can be obtained year after year. Animals accustomed to grazing on it consume even the thick stems, so that the shrubs are eaten back to a compact base very quickly. The green leaves can also be lopped for poultry. Also grown as an ornamental. In areas of Australia it has become a weed. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial, needs to grow 2-3 years before first harvest or grazing, can live 20-30 years on fertile soils. COMMON NAMES: Tagasaste, Tree lucern. FURTHER INF: Scientific synonyms: Chamaecytisus palmensis, Cytisus prolifer. It is native to the Canary Islands and the mediterranean and is drought resistant but prefers moderate humid contitions and grows in sandy soils. Yields in Western Australia are about 1.8 t/ha on commercial farms and around 90 kg/tree/year, of which about 27% is dry matter.
Sources
SOURCES
Sims D (pers. comm.)
White F 1983 pp 248
Tropical forages 2005