Albizia lophantha (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Albizia lophantha (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Albizia lophantha, Fabaceae, Australia
habit
flowers, leaf
Common names
- English: Spiked acacia, Crested wattle
- Amargna: Shifere
Ecology
An exotic tree from western Australia planted as an ornamental in Addis Ababa (2,400 m), and Shoa, Harerge and Bale regions. It does best in the Moist and Wet Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones.
Uses
Firewood, fodder (leaves), bee forage, shade, ornamental, soil conservation, soil improvement, nitrogen fixation.
Description
A many-branched shrub or small graceful tree 4–15 m, with a straight trunk and large spreading crown, semi-deciduous.
- LEAVES: Compound, the leaf stalk to 20 cm with 6– 12 pairs of pinnae and many leaflets. Each leaflet is narrow and pointed about 1 cm long, silky hairy below. Young leaves have brown hairs.
- FLOWERS: Differ from those of other Albizia. These are small and greenyellow on 1–3 short, dense spikes, to 8 cm, beside leaves. Many yellow anther filaments conspicuous, over 1 cm long.
- FRUIT: A narrow pod to 11 cm long, the edges thick, the tip with a distinct blunt point. The pod is swollen over the 8–11 seeds inside.
Propagation
Seedlings.
Seed
- Treatment: Immerse in hot water, allow to cool and soak for 24 hours.
- Storage: Stores well but susceptible to insect attack.
Management
A fast-growing but short-lived tree. Pruning, lopping.
Remarks
It makes poor firewood but is a useful tree for reclaiming land because it grows fast, fast growing, relatively drought resistant and tolerates infertile and seasonally waterlogged soils. It may form dense stands along riverbanks, as in the Western Cape, South Africa.
