- selected for edem
inga edulis
- miracle
- products
- fruit
- legume
- canopy layer
- shader
- wiki
- type: fast growing nitrogen-fixing tropical tree
- properties
- root: deep taproot with extensive lateral roots and nitrogen-fixing nodules
- stem: upright, branching, semi-softwood when young, becoming sturdy with age
- leaf: alternate, pinnately compound with 4–6 pairs of leaflets, elliptical with pointed tips
- leaf-length:: 20–35 cm (compound leaf)
- flower: cream-white, fuzzy, brush-like, fragrant, clustered in axillary inflorescences
- fruit: long, cylindrical pods (30–100 cm) with pulpy edible white aril surrounding seeds
- bark: thin, light gray-brown, slightly fissured on mature trees
- timber: light, low-density, used for firewood and local construction
- environment:: thrives in humid tropical climates with rich soils, moderate shade tolerance, and year-round rainfall
- climate:: humid lowland tropics, tolerates periodic drought and temporary flooding
- sun:: 600–900 W/m²
- no-sun-days:: 10–15 days
- water:: 1500–3500 mm/year
- no-water-days:: 20–30 days
- humidity:: 70–95 %
- fog-resistance:: 10–15 days
- max-temp:: 40 °C
- optimal-temp:: 22–30 °C
- min-temp:: 5 °C
- wind-damage:: cold-dry, strong-salty
- soil:: well-drained fertile soils with good organic matter, tolerates moderate acidity and temporary flooding
- spacing:: 5–10 m depending on use (orchard vs. agroforestry canopy)
- lifecycle
- longevity:: 30–40 years
- germination:: seeds germinate rapidly in 3–10 days, do not store well (recalcitrant)
- seedling:: fast growing, reaches 1–2 meters in the first year under moist conditions
- mature:: begins fruiting in 3–5 years, continues annually with high productivity under good care
- death:: declines with water stress or fungal root issues, usually managed as part of successional systems
- features: nitrogen-fixers, edible fruit, shade tree, pollinator-friendly, soil improver
- layer: canopy, sub-canopy, successional
- products: fresh fruit pulp, seed flour, shade mulch, firewood, green-manure, fodder, pollinator nectar
- chemical compounds
compounds in fruit
compounds in seed
| Age of tree (years) | Trees per ha | Pruning (%) | Spacing (m) | DM of leaves (kg/tree) | DM of wood (kg/tree) | DM of leaves (Mg/ha) | DM of wood (Mg/ha) | Total above-ground biomass (Mg/ha) |
|---|
| --------------------- | -------------- | ------------- | ------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| 1 | 5000 | 0 | 1 × 2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 2.10 | 1.65 | 3.75 |
| 2 | 2500 | 50 | 2 × 2 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 2.80 | 6.08 | 8.88 |
| 3 | 1250 | 75 | 2 × 4 | 3.0 | 17.7 | 3.78 | 22.11 | 25.89 |
| 4 | 625 | 88 | 4 × 4 | 4.3 | 35.9 | 2.69 | 22.43 | 25.12 |
| 5 | 313 | 94 | 4 × 8 | 5.8 | 65.4 | 1.82 | 20.48 | 22.29 |
| 6 | 156 | 97 | 8 × 8 | 6.1 | 73.0 | 0.95 | 11.39 | 12.34 |