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Albizia procera

White siris

(drawing to come)

Origin

Australia and Oceania, including Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia, South Asia.

Ecology

Annual rainfall: 500-5000mm

Normal temperature range: 21-32°C

Altitude range: 0-1300m

Seasonal adaptability: tolerates 6-8 months dry season

Soils: moderately acid-tolerant to alkaline soils, pH 5.5-7.5; grows well on shallow soils but prefers alluvial soils.

Light requirement: moderately demanding.

Other site limitations: easily damaged by frost; branches of mature trees break readily in high wind.

Description

Height at maturity: 25m.

Diameter at breast height (1.3m) at maturity: 35cm.

Form: good; clear stem but often curved; open canopy.

Coppicing ability: fair to good.

Growth: on good sites, 12-year old trees reach 0.9-1.1m in diameter and 15m tall.

Other: fixes nitrogen.

Primary advantages

Good quality timber grows well in shallow stony soils and areas with a long dry season.

Primary disadvantages

Its frost susceptibility limits planting at higher elevations.

Products and yields

Wood products: Timber. Yields of 10m3/ha/year are reported on good sites. Wood quality is good; used for cabinets and veneer.

Fuelwood: fair quality; 4900-5000kcal/kg.

Fodder: leaves provide good forage.

Other: wood is used as a substitute for walnut and general construction. In Nepal leaves used as insecticide.

Propagation

Easily by seedlings, cuttings, stumps, root suckers or direct sowing.

Seed treatment

Plant seeds in boiling water, remove water from heat, let cool over night, then dry and store.

Management

Can be heavily lopped or pollarded to provide forage. In open stands, prune to improve stem quality.

Agroforestry uses

Used in hedgerows, pastures, fuelwood plantings.

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