Woody > Leucaena > Leucaena leucocephala > Leucaena leucocephala
Leucaena leucocephala
White Lead Tree, West Indian Lead tree
Origin: Native to southern Mexico and northern Central America.
| Family |
| Fabaceae |
| Genus |
| Leucaena |
| Species |
| leucocephala |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Requires cool season preotection under glass. |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 15 - 30 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 59 - 86 |
| Height |
| 18 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Cultivation |
| Full sun and partial-shade in well-drained and moist soil with a pH of 5.0 - 8.5. |
| Shape |
| Upright and spreading. |
| Pests |
| Psylid can be a problem. |
| Habitat |
| Shallow limestone and coastal sands. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are bipinnate with 4 - 9 pairs of pinnae, 35 cm long with a large gland at the base of the petiole. The leaflets are acute, 11 - 22 pairs, 8 - 16 mm long and 1 - 2 mm wide. |
| Flower Description |
| Globose heads, 2 - 5 cm wide, 10 per flower on stamens. |
| Fruit Description |
| The pods are 14 - 26 cm long and 1.5 - 2 cm wide and pendant-like. The seeds are 18 - 22 per pod and 6 - 10 mm long. |
| Colour Description |
| The bark is greyish-brown. The pods and seeds are brown. The flowers are white to yellowish-orange. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| It can be used as firewood, fiber and livestock fodder while young shoots can be cooked as a vegetable. |
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