WorldFloraDB - Prosopis alba

Characteristics

A tree. It grows 8-10 m high. It has spines. It has a short trunk about 1 m across. The crown is 10 m across. The bark is thin and grey. The leaves have small leaflets along the stalk. The flowers are small and greenish-white. The fruit are pods and are red-orange. They are 20 cm long. The seeds are brown and 7 mm long.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

tree

Growth support

free-standing

Foliage retention

deciduous

Sexuality

hermaphrodite

Pollination

entomogamy

Spread

-

Mature width (meter)

6.0

Mature height (meter)

10.0

Root system

-

Rooting depth (meter)

-

Root diameter (meter)

-

Flower color

-

Blooming months

-

Fruit color

-

Fruiting months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Nitrogen fixer

Photosynthetic pathway

c3

Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in subtropical regions. It cannot tolerate frost. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 100-500 mm. It can tolerate drought. It can grow in salty soils. It grows below 1,000 m above sea level. It can grow to 3,000 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,500 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

More

Arid and semi-arid regions with groundwater, such as drainage channels and along groundwater sinks. A common ruderal weed, coming up singly and in groups along roadsides, around habitations, on refuse dumps and in other disturbed habitats.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The pods are roasted and used as a coffee substitute. They are also used for other drinks and the seeds for flour. The pulp of the ripe pods can be eaten raw or cooked.

Uses	animal food breeding charcoal coffee substitute drinks environmental use fodder food fuel gum material medicinal ornamental poison recultivation tanning windbreak wood
Edible	fruits pods seeds stems
Therapeutic use	Astringent (unspecified), Lithontriptic (unspecified), Ophthalmia (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Two or more plants are needed as flowers cross the female flowers being ready before the male flowers.

Mode	seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	10 - 20
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-