| DESCRIPTION: It is one of the largest trees in the dry forest formation, reaching up to 40 m in height and 3 m in diameter, with a huge, spreading crown. Older trees develop small buttresses and produce large roots that run along the surface of the ground for 2-3 m. Sidewalks, roads, or foundations may be cracked or raised by trees growing close by. The seed pods on this tree are shaped like "Elephant's Ears." USE: Immature pods are cooked as a vegetable, or the seeds are toasted and ground. Leaves and especially pods are used as fodder. The wood is us as timber and for paper production. Tannin from the pods and bark is used in soap making. Bark extracts are used medicinally against colds and bronchitis. It is an ideal shade tree for livestock in pasturelands and perennial crops such as coffee. A popular tree for roadsides and urban planting. It is a nitrogen-fixing species. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: ear pod tree, elephant ear, enterolobium. FURTHER INF: Colonizing a wide range of habitats, it is a climax species in subtropical, dry forest zones, restricted to disturbed areas in wetter forest types. It is a dominant species in all the tree associations in which it is found. Dry seasons of 1-6 months are usual in most of its habitats. It tolerates alkaline, calcareous and even acidic soils. Medium-textured soils are probably best, but eroded Ultasols, deep moist clays, shallow sandy clays and porous limestone all allow good development. |
