Description and Uses
Albizia lebbeck (Indian siris) is a
tropical
tree from
South India . It is mainly grown for its
conservation crops
, which have a
medium shelf life. The crop is harvested by
total removing. It starts flowering after
4 -
8 years. The yield will be
2500 kg/ha/yr fodder, but in its top season there will be a yield of
7 m3/ha/yr wood. Other crop types include;
apiculture, bio-fuel, bio-mass, conservation, edible leave shoot, endo-mycorrhiza, fodder. The
seed/nut shoot is used as
minor food . The
bark is used as "
Ulcers, anthelmintic, " with
proteins (10% -
15%) as its significant
phytochemical. There is
A. lebbeck oil extracted by
no extraction method from the
tree's
seed/nut yielding
0.90% -
1.10% oil. The
tree's wood is called
lebbeck wood and has a density of
550 -
660 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the
tree's growing speed is
very fast, it's energetic value is
5200 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is
fast. After
11 years the
tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal.
Albizia lebbeck has a lifespan of
50 years.
Environmental limitations
The tree is
30 meters tall with a crown of
20 meters wide. The
tree prefers a planting distance of
500 cm and a row distance of
500 cm. It is
very fast growing and
intolerant to shade.
Albizia lebbeck has a
shallow root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the
Glomus epigaeum and Glomus fasciculatum and Glomus fulvum and Glomus intraradices and Glomus macrocarpum and Glomus mosseae fungi
(endo-mycorrhiza high). It is
able to fix nitrogen moderately with
"any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s)
"Rhizobium leguminosarum ". The
tree's flower-morphology is
hermaphroditic and is pollinated by
bees.
Albizia lebbeck is
evergreen and
not allelopathic and has
no thorns.
Albizia lebbeck thrives in an altitude of
5 to
1800 meters above sea-level
(tropical). The minimum temperature is
2°C; optimally between
19 -
35°C. The optimal rainfall is
1750
mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between
500 -
2500mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between
5.0 -
8.0 in a soil texture of
sand. To salt it is
a bit tolerant to wind
a bit tolerant and to fire
intolerant.
Pests and Diseases
Albizia lebbeck is susceptible to the following pests:
Ferrisia virgata
, Rhesala moestalis
. And it's susceptible to the following diseases:
Root rot ,
Rust ,
.
Seed Propagation
Seeds are
orthodox and can be stored for
60 months. There are approximative
7500
seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:
- (1) Store harvested seeds dry at room temperature
- (3) Remove the seeds from cold to a permanent warm temperature.
- (2) Soak the seeds overnight in warm water before sowing.
