Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Leucaena leucocephala

Edible: Leaves, Pods, Fruit, Seeds - coffee, Vegetable, Flowers

A small erect tree. It grows to 6-10 m high. It has fine divided leaves. The leaves have 2 rows of leaflets. The leaves are 15 to 25 cm long and the leaflets 8 to 16 cm long. They are a dark dull green on top and dull greyish green underneath. The flowers are white and in round heads. They are in the axils of leaves or on the ends of branches. The pods are flat and 10-15 cm long and 1.8 cm wide with 15-25 seeds inside. It has shiny brown seeds. There are 3 subspecies.

It is a tropical plant. It is introduced and common at low and medium altitudes throughout the tropics. It is widespread from sea level up to about 1700 m altitude in the tropics. It is often used as shade for coffee. It is drought resistant. It grows in the Sahel. It can grow on dry and poor soils. It can tolerate salt. It needs well drained soil and full sun. In Nepal it grows to 1400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Leucaena, Ai-kafe, Aseik-pye, Aweya, Bak kased, Bawzagaing, Bochet, Caribbean tamarind, Cassie, Chigonglei angouba, Epil, Fuapepe, Guaje, Guaje verde, Hawaiian wattle, Horse Tamarind, Huajes, Ipil-ipil, 'ip'ipil, Jongta lem, Jumbie bean, Kamalandingan, Kaniti, Kanthumthet, Kased, Katin, Kawl-zawng-tah, Keo dau, Kok ka thin, Kraset, Krathan, Lamtoro seeds, Lasobaval, Lead tree, Liliaque, Lusia, Lusina, Mlusina, Nagarikesari, Nattuccavundal, Pelending, Petai china, Petai jawa, Peuteui selong, Phak kased, Phak ka thin, Pohon lamtoro, Popinac blanc, Ragarai, Rajokasundiri, Riopriop pen kune, Sneaky tree, Subabool, Takaranniram, Tangantangan, Telentund, Thin thai, Toira kadam, Vaivai, Vilayatibaral, White popinac, Wild tamarind, Wonderboom, Yod phak kased, Zongtasialnek

Synonyms: 

Acacia frondosa Willd.;
Acacia glauca (L.) Benth.;
Acacia leucocephala (Lam.) Link;
Leucaena glabra Benth.;
Leucaena glauca Benth.;
Leucaena latisiliqua (L.) Gillis;
Mimosa glauca L.;
Mimosa latisiliqua L.;
Mimosa leucocephala Lam.;