| DESCRIPTION: Leguminous shrub or small tree which grows to a height of 5-6 m and almost to the same crown diameter. It has long drooping branches with dull, bluish-green trifoliate leaves. On deep sands, roots can penetrate to 10 m and more. Inflorescences white. Seed pods black, flattened, up to 5 cm long. USE: Used as fodder (cut and carry) and for grazing. In dry regions as a windbreak and shelter belt. It has dense wood with a specific gravity of 0.7 useful as firewood. Annual DM production of range from 13-18 t/ha in New Zealand to 5-10 t/ha in Ethiopia. The edible DM of leaf and fine stem will be 50-60% of this range. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Tagasaste, Tree lucerne, False tree Lucerne. FURTHER INF: It is native of the Canary Isles. It has become naturalized and/or utilized in several temperate countries, e.g. New Zealand, in regions with Mediterranean-type climates, e.g. Western Australia, and in countries with long hot, dry summers, e.g. Ethiopia. It grows well in a rainfall range of 350-1600 mm. Suited to drought-prone sandy soils. |