Leucaena

Where does Leucaena grow?

Found in: Africa, American Samoa, Andamans, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, French Guiana, FSM, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hispaniola, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosrae, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad, Tuvalu, Uganda, United States, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Yap, Yemen, Zimbabwe

Notes: Also as Mimosaceae.

Status: Leaves and fruit are sold in markets.

Growing Leucaena

Cultivation: It grows easily from seeds. It also regrows from cut stumps and it can be grown from cuttings. Plants are hard to eliminate and can become a weed problem in dry areas.

Edible Uses: The mature seeds are toasted and ground and used as a coffee substitute. They are also added to stews. The young leaves are sometimes used as a vegetable. The leaves can be eaten in small amounts. The tender pods and shoots are cooked as a vegetable. They are used in curries. CAUTION The leaves contain a chemical (mimosine) which causes hair to fall out.

Production: It grows very quickly. It grows to 8 m in 18 months. It can stand only light frosts.

Nutrition Info

Leucaena Photos

References

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