Fabaceae

Leucaena leucocephala

Common Names: Leucaena

Plant Form: Shrub or small tree. Size: Usually 2-10 m tall, occasionally taller. Stem: Green and covered in fine hairs when young, turning smooth, grey, and somewhat pimply with age. Leaves: Compound of opposite leaves which are themselves a compound of leaflets. Bright green oval shaped up to 35 cm long. Flowers: Dense globular clusters 12-30 mm across, on stalks, greenish with many whitish stamens giving overall yellowish white appearance. Fruit and Seeds: Elongated, large, flattened green to reddish-brown pods 8-22 cm long, with pointed tip. Habitat: Waterways, roadsides, woodlands, parks, waste areas, coastal foreshores. Distinguishing Features: Generally larger leaflets and seed pods than Redwood (Acaciella glauca) and Bolivian wattle (Acaciella angustissima). Impacts: Forms impenetrable thickets, alters native vegetation, reduces road visibility.