| DESCRIPTION: It is a deciduous tree attaining a height of 12-20 m. The crown is open containing relatively few branches that often begin quite near the ground. Flowers pale-violet to blue-purple, slenderly campanulate, up to 6 cm long. USE: It is the lightest wood grown in China (specific gravity 0.3 g/cubic m) used for music instruments, models, glider construction and sculptures. The leaves, flowers, fruits and roots have medicinal properties. The tree is used for shelter belts, as an ornamental and its rooting ability and its tolerance of rocky, disturbed and relatively infertile soils makes it useful in reclamation of surface mines. It is suited for intercropping with wheat, cotton and maize, the resulting yields of wheat have been measured to 16% higher, those of cotton 7% higher, and those of maize more than 11% higher than those from plots without the tree. KILLING T Moderately frost resistant. GROWING PERIOD Perennial deciduous tree. COMMON NAMES Kiri. FURTHER INF: The tree occur naturally within the latitudinal range of 32-40°N. It is drought hardy and tolerates salt winds. Requires wide spacing. Annual wood production potential is 25-35 m3/ha. It prefers a warm temperate to warm climate. It flourish at daytime temperatures of 24-30°C and its height growth ceases at daytime temperatures of 15-20°C. Sufficient ventilation of the soil is vital, on poorly draining sites, after 3-5 days of uninterrupted rainfall it casts off its leaves and dies. It may be damaged by wind. It is a pioneer species, colonizing disturbed areas such as roadsides, mined areas, sanitary landfills, abandoned agricultural soils, and deep, moist but well-drained alluvial soils along waterways. |
Webb D 1984 pp 202 [RAIN, TEMP, TEXT, PH, DRA, FER, DEP, LIG, KTMP, USE]
INSPIRE species 119 [RAIN, TEMP, TEXT, PH, DRA, FER, LIG, USE]
ICRAF Agroforestree Database
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