Fabaceae - Botanical Family

In its natural habitat, Afgekia sericea is a large shrub, usually about 5-10 feet tall but occasionally reaching up to 20 feet in height. It also has an interesting vining or creeper shape, with its stems reaching out and spreading across the ground. This plant's foliage adds an interesting touch to any garden, with its rich green leaves and stems that are covered in small hairs, giving it its silky, soft appearance.

The flowers of this plant are what truly make it stand out, blooming from late summer to early autumn in either pink or yellow and orange hues. Pink flowers are produced in greater numbers, but if given enough sunny exposure, yellow and orange buds can also make an appearance.

Afgekia sericea is quite easy to grow and care for, as long as its given the right exposure and moisture. While this plant can tolerate both full sun and semi-shade, it will be far more likely to flower in the former. It thrives with moderate water, but can also survive brief dry spells.

In cooler areas, this plant can be grown in a pot or container, although it may need some extra winter protection in regions where temperatures drop below freezing. To do this, it is recommended to move the plant to a sheltered spot in the garden and mulch or layer compost around the base of the pot to protect it from the cold. In the spring, it will be ready to be moved back into the sun.

Afgekia sericea is a great addition to any outdoor space, adding a touch of color and a unique vining shape to the garden. With the right care and attention, this large shrub can be a beautiful addition to any garden for many years to come.

Afzelia xylocarpa is easy to grow and is best suited for full sun and moderate water. The trees can tolerate drought, freezing temperatures, and a wide range of soil types. This species of tree requires moist, well-drained soil to thrive. It is not suitable for growing in pots in cold regions. The tree can grow in USDA hardiness Zone 9-11, and proper location and fertilization will keep it healthy and vibrant.

Afzelia xylocarpa is an unusual tree with its combination of broadleaf leaves and conifer-like bark with peeling stripes. The irregularly shaped leaves that turn yellow, yellow-green or yellow-gold in autumn make it an attractive choice for landscape design. Its large clusters of yellow-orange, seedpods up to 8 inches long are a striking contrast to the green of the tree.

The tree is traditionally used as an ethnomedical plant. The seed was traditionally used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, eye infections, and toothaches. In Cambodia, Afzelia xylocarpa (locally known as Beng) are planted as shading trees due to its wide-ranging branches. At roadsides and waterways, the tree provides a good wind barrier and protection from water-driven soil erosion.

This tree has attractive fragrant pom-pom- like flowers, and interesting fern-like foliage. In gardens this fast growing tree grows to 20-30 ft. It has a single trunk with smooth, gray bark. Each bi-pinnate leaf is made up of hundreds of tiny leaflets coated in white hairs, giving the foliage a silvery cast. In late winter or spring, the domed crown is decked in sprays of small, globular, off-white to baby-pink flower heads. Prefers a rich, light, well drained soil. The flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.

Albizia lebbeck, Mimosa lebbeck is a fast-growing tree, that is susceptible to wind damage. A moderate to large, deciduous tree can grow up to 100 feet high in rain forests. The tree develops a straight trunk when it is grown in dense forests, but is spreading and low branching in the open. Unless trimmed frequently, the trees will annually produce an abundance of seed from papery pods about 8" long and 1" wide (author). Common names such as "woman's tongue" and "rattle pod" derive from the noise of pods shaking in the wind. The foliage is pale green when young and gray-green at maturity. Flowers are cream colored, hemispheric pom-poms. Seeds germinate well without scarification.

The tree is used as a folk remedy for many ailments. Another common use is as an avenue tree, and sometimes it is used to shade coffee and tea. Saponins and tannins in the bark can be used for making soap and in tanning, respectively. Bee keepers like the species for the light-colored honey its nectar provides, and the tree hosts the lac insect.

Albizia is a genus of about 150 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs. The genus is pantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America and Australia, but mostly in the Old World tropics.

Species:

Albizia julibrissin

Albizia lebbeck

Albizia saman

Perhaps the most beautiful of flowering tropical trees, certainly attractive enough to earn the sobriquet Queen of Flowering Trees. Obscure origins add to the mystique of this noble petite tree. It has only been collected from the wild a couple of times, in the forests of Burma, leading to its common name Pride of Burma. The tree has compound leaves and a great profusion of large, irregular, yellow-spotted scarlet flowers. The genus is named after Lady Sarah Amherst, who collected plants in Asia in the early Nineteenth century. Not only is she commemorated in one of the most beautiful of the worlds trees, she also lends her name to Lady Amherst pheasant one of the most elegant birds. The new leaves are produced in flaccid pale tassels that turn purplish before they green and open out. When not in flower, Amherstia looks similar to Saracca, another Asian legume genus. The leaves unfurl in handkerchief fashion like the Brownea and Maniltoa. New leaf growth is reddish, hangs down at first.

Desert Indigo is great for a butterfly garden.

This is a South American tree closely related to Yopo, or Anadenanthera peregrina, and has similar medicinal properties. Anadenanthera colubrina is known by many names throughout South America. In Peru it is known as Willka (also Wilca, Vilca and Huilca) which in the Quechua languages means "sacred". The species is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Cuba, and Mauritius.

The trunk is very thorny. The leaves are mimosa-like, and they fold up at night. It tends to grow on rocky hillsides in well-drained soil, often in the vicinity of rivers. It grows quickly at 5-6 ft a year in good conditions. The growing areas are often "savannah to dry rainforest." Flowering can begin in as soon as two years after germination. In Chile, A. colubrina produces flowers from September to December and bean pods from September to July.

A sweetened drink is made from the bark. The tree's bark is the most common part used medicinally. Gum from the tree is used medicinally to treat upper respiratory tract infections, as an expectorant and otherwise for cough.

The main active constituent of Vilca is bufotenin. The black beans from the bean pods of these trees are used to make the psychedelic snuff called Vilca (sometimes called cebil).

In Brazil A. colubrina has been given high priority conservation status.

Anadenanthera peregrina or Yopo is a tall tree with a distinctive horny bark and feathery leaves. It is also known for its pale yellow to white spherical flowers. This plant is native to the Caribbean and thrives in full sun and moderate amounts of water. It is suitable for growing in USDA zones 8 -10 and can tolerate cold temperatures of at least 30°F for a short time.

In addition to its attractive appearance, Anadenanthera peregrina serves as an entheogen and is used in healing ceremonies and rituals. The beans, also known as seeds, and falling leaves of this plant contain hallucinogenic properties. It is closely related to Anadenanthera colubrina, also known as Cebi or Vilca, which has a similar chemical makeup with its primary constituent being bufotenin.

Anadenanthera peregrina is not only visually appealing, but it also attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife. It is a good source of dietary calcium and has been explored for its potential medicinal uses. When grown in a pot in cold climate regions, it should be brought indoors during the winter and moved outdoors in the summer when the risk of frost is gone. It should be watered regularly, avoiding over watering, and pruning can be used to encourage new growth as needed. Overall, Anadenanthera peregrinaoffers both aesthetic and medical value.