Is Leucaena leucocephala invasive?

Leucaena leucocephala (hereafter, Leucaena) is a shrub or tree native to Mexico and Central America that grows to heights of 7–18 m. Leucaena is listed as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive alien species in the Global Invasive Species Database [26].

Is Leucaena invasive?

Ecological Threat. In areas where Leucaena leucocephala is considered an invasive weed, it will form dense thickets and displace the native vegetation. Disturbed, cleared areas, coastal strands, outskirts of forests and canopy gaps are some locations regularly invaded by Leucaena leucocephala.

How fast does Leucaena grow?

In terms of growth performance, the preliminary study indicated that Leucaena trees grew at a rate of 44% from the first month to the forth month and 43% from 6 to 12 months.

Is Leucaena leucocephala poisonous?

Unfortunately, leucaena contains mimosine, a plant amino acid, that can be toxic when ingested at higher concentrations. Reported toxic effects include alopecia (fur loss), poor body condition, infertility, low birth weight, thyroid gland dysfunction, and organ toxicity.

How do you control Leucaena?

Herbicide control There are no herbicide products specifically registered for the control of leucaena in Queensland. However, a permit held by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries allows people generally to use some herbicide products to control leucaena as an environmental weed in various situations.

How do you care for Leucaena leucocephala?

Leucaena Leucocephala prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

How do you control Leucaena leucocephala?

There are no known mechanical controls for lead tree. Continuous cutting will eventually kill larger trees. Frequent mowing or grazing will kill smaller plants. An insect known as ‘jumping lice’, or the leucaena psyllid (Heteropsylla cubana), will damage plants but does not eliminate established plants.

How do I get rid of Leucaena?

To get rid of Leucaena Leucocephala, you have to repeatedly remove all instances of the plant. You can do this by uprooting seedlings, cutting down large trees, and trimming regrowth before producing mature seeds. After a while, the tree eventually stops resprouting.

Is Leucaena good for horses?

Excellent source of high quality protein, but if eaten in excess over a period of weeks, will cause toxic effects with hyperexcitability as a first symptom. . Horses are particularly vulnerable to toxic effects from overeating.

Is Mimosine toxic?

Mimosine or leucenol is a toxic non-protein amino acid chemically similar to tyrosine, that was first isolated from Mimosa pudica. It occurs in a few other Mimosa spp. and all members of the closely related genus Leucaena.

Is Leucaena a pest?

Leucaena is a small tree that has been planted for fodder in many tropical areas of the world, including Queensland. It is classified among the 12 worst pests out of 86 alien species in Hawaii.