Albizia procera - white siris for reforestation and agroforestry
Albizia procera is a large, fast-growing tree that occurs on
many different sites. Like other Asian Albizias, it occurs in forests and
savanna woodlands but prefers moister sites than its relatives. This species
provides wood for a variety of purpose nutritious fodder for livestock and shade
for tea plantations. It is an important reforestation and agroforestry species.
It is commonly called white sins or tall albizia and has many regional names.
Albizia procera
Botany
Albizia procera (Roxb.) Benth is usually 60-70 cm in diameter
and 25 meters in height. Troup (1921) reports trees as large as 95 cm in
diameter and 36 meters in height. Mature individuals are characterized by a tall
clear, erect, so curved trunk and large branches which form a thin, spreading
crown The bark is nearly smooth, whitish to light-greenish gray or light brown
It exfoliates in thin flakes with red undersides (Troup 1921). Lateral roots are
wide-spreading and the taproot stout The bipinnate leaves, reddish when
juvenile, mature to a length of 12-25 cm; leaflets are 2 4 cm long and 8-16 mm
wide.
Flowering varies by geographic location; January to March in
Indonesia (Djogo 1992), June to September in India (Troup 1921) September in
Manila (Hensleigh and Holaway 1988) and August to October in Puerto Rico
(Parrotta 1987). Flowers are borne on racemes 8-25 cm long near the end of a
twing.
Numerous greenish-yellow flowers form whitish heads 20-24 mm in
diameter. Individual flowers, 6-7 mm long, have long white threadlike spreading
stamens about 10 mm long (Little and Wadsworth 1964). The reddish-brown flat
pods, 10-20 cm long and 18-25 cm wide, are produced in large numbers and ripen
35 months after flowering The mature brown pods, each containing 6-12 seeds,
usually remain on the tree until the twig bearing the pods is steed (Troup 1921,
Little and Wadsworth 1964). The natural regeneration of white siris is generally
good. Following the beginning of the rainy season large numbers of seedlings are
common near mature trees. Seedlings, saplings and mature trees coppice
vigorously from stumps and roots (Parrotta 1987).
Ecology
White siris is a component of tropical and subtropical moist and
wet forest type-c where rainfall is 1000-5000 mm/yr. It develops best when
rainfall is above 2500 mrn/yr. Growing to elevations of 1200 meters, the species
is also common on moisture savannas and swamp forests. In its natural habitat,
maximum vary from 37-46° C and minimum temperatures from 1-18° C. Once
established white siris is drought tolerant. It is susceptible to frost (Troup
1921, Djogo 1992).
Like many nitrogen fixing trees, white siris survives on a
variety of soils. It grows best on moist alluvial soils, welldrained loams or
clay soils (Brandis 1906, Venkataramany 1968). Its ability to grow on dry,
sandy, stony, and shallow soils makes it a useful species for reforestation of
difficult sites. Good survival and rapid early growth have been reported in
afforestation trials on both saline and alkaline soils (Ghosh 1976). It doe not
tolerate suppression, but will survive moderate shade between the seedling and
small tree stage Venkataramany 1968).
In India, white siris is dominant to co-dominant in mixed
deciduous forest or fauna as scattered individuals or in small groups in savanna
woodlands (Benthall 1933, Bor 1953). In Puerto Rico, white siris is an
aggressive pioneer, forming pure stands on abandoned farms and other disturbed
sites It is also common in pastures at elevations below 600 meters, including
areas receiving as little as 800 mm of annual rainfall.
Distribution
The native range of A. procera is South and Southeast Asia
between latitudes 30 degrees N to 15 degrees S. The tree occurs naturally in
India, Nepal, the the Adaman Burma, southern China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and
northern Australia (Nielsen 1979). It is naturalized in the Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico.
Uses
Agroforestry. Natural regeneration of A. procera is often
encouraged on farms to provide small timber, fuelwood, charcoal, fodder or
shade. Seedlings are planted in family forests or home gardens for the same
purposes. Albizia procera can be cultivated as shade for tea plantations.
However, Albizia odoratissima is preferred for this purpose because of its rapid
early growth, fuller crown and resistance to red spidermites. The protein-rich
fodder of A. procera is eaten by cattle, buffaloes, goats, camels and elephants
in South Asia and the Philippines. However, the fodder is not utilized in Nusa
Tenggara, Indonesia.
Wood.
Durable, strong and resistant to termites, the wood is fight- to
cnocolate-brown with light and dark bands. It is difficult to saw due to
interlocking grain and has a specific gravity of 0.60.9. The wood is used to
produce wheels, carts, boats, furniture, flooring, posts, agriculture
irnplements, boxes and carvings. This species is considered a promising source
of pulp for high quality paper (Parrotta 1987).
Other Uses.
Trees are often planted for shade or beautification along roads
Albizia procera is commonly used in traditional medicines Venkalarammany 1968).
The bark contains tannins and a reddish gum Also, it can be used to make a
poison. The leaves are used to treat ulcers and have insecticidal properties
(Parrotta 1987). In the Philippines, the cooked leaves are eaten as a vegetable
(Hensleigh and Holaway 1988).
Silviculture
Propagation.
Seeds are small, greenish-brown, elliptical to round, flat and
have a hard, smooth seedcoat. There are 20,00024,000 seeds per kilogram
(Rosbetho 1997). Insect damage to seed is common in Indonesia (Djogo 1992) but
not in India (Troup 1921). Fresh seed germinates readily without treatment
(Parrotta 1987). Clean seed can be stored at room temperature for 10 months with
minimal loss of viability (Roshetko 1997). Seed that has been stored should be
treated before sowing; cut through the seedcoat with a knife or file, or soak
seeds in boiled water for 3 minutes. After either treatment soak seed in cool
water for 12-24 hour and sow immediately (Roshetko 1997).
In the nursery, seed should be sown in containers or beds
Seedling growth is favored by loose soil sufficient soil moisture, full sunlight
and the absence of weeds. Healthy seedlings produce a thick, long taproot After
two months in the nursery containerized or bare-root seedlings should be
transplanted to the field. Direct sowing of white sins is successful given
abundant soil moisture and regular weed control (Troup 1921). Propagation is
also possible by stem or root cutting and stump sprouts. Plantations should be
weeded twice in the first year and once during the second. During weeding, soil
should not be unduly exposed; only weeds directly interfering with seedlings
should be removed (Venkataramany 1968).
Growth and Management.
In Bangladesh plantation trees have reached heights of 0.3 and
4.5 m in 1 and 5 years. In Burma 6-year-old trees average heights and diameters
of 12.8 m and 16 cm, respectively. In Indonesia, 17-year-old trees average
heights and diameters of 24.3 m and 22.4 cm, respectively. Total standing
volumes of 87 m³/ha have been reported in 8-year-old plantations Burma end
of 151 m³/ha in 17-year-old plantations in Indonesia Natural forests are
managed for timber production by coppicing on a 40-year rotation. Fuelwood
plantations are managed on a 20-year rotation (Venkataramany 1968).
Symbiosis
Albizia procera forms symbiotic association with Rhizobium
bacteria enabling it to fix nitrogen and thrive on infertile soils. The
application of phosphorus fertilizer can improve nodulation and nitrogen
fixation. particularly on infertile soils.
Limitations
Because of its aggressive growth white siris may be a potential
weed This is panicularly true in the Caribbean where white siris grows faster
than many native species.
References
Benthall A P.1933. The tea of Calcutta and its
neighborhood.Thacker Spink and Co., Calcutta, India. 513 p.
Bar, N.L. 1953. Manual of Indian forest botany. Oxford
University Press, London, UK 441 p.
Brandis D. 1906. Indian trees Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh,
Dehra Dun, India
Djogo, A.P.Y. 1992. The possibilities of using local
drought-resistant multipupose tree species as alternatives to lamtoro (Leucaena
leucocephala) for agroforestry and social forestry in West Timor. Working Paper
No. 32. EARI East West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. 41 p.
Ghosh, R.C. 1976. Afforestation problems of saline and alkaline
soils in India Van Vigyan 14(1): 1-17.
Hensleigh, T.E. end B.K Holaway. 1988. Agroforestry species for
the Philippines. Washington DC: US Peace Corps, 404 p.
Little, E.L., F.H. Wadsworth 1964. Common trees of Puerto Rico
and the Vrgin Islands. Agric. Handbook 249. US Department of Agriculture,
Washington DC. 548 p.
Nielsen, L 1979. Notes on the genus Albizia Durazz.
(Leguminosae-Mimosaceae) in mainland SE. Asia. Adansonia 19(2): 199-229.
Parr otta, IA 1987. Albizia procera (Roxb.)Benth. Silvics of
Forest Trees of the American Tropics. Rio Piedras Puerto Rico USA USDA Forest
Service, international institute of Tropical Forestry. 4 p.
Roshetko, J.M. 1997. Seed treatment for Albizia species. In:
N.Q. Zabala (ed) Albizia & Paraserianthesis. Proceedings of an international
workshop. Morrilton, Arkansas, USA Winrok International in press.
Troup, R.S. 1921. The silviculture of Indian trees Clarendon
Press, Oxford, UK 1195 p.
Vankataramany P. 1968. Silvicuture of genusAlbizia and species
Silviculture of Indian trees., No. 22. Government of India, Delhi, India 54 p.
NFTA 95-01 January
1995
