Woman's Tongue
Albizia lebbeck
- Native to:
- Andaman Is., Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Forest & Kim Starr (www.hear.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Albizia
- Species:
- Albizia lebbeck
- USDA Symbol:
- ALLE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 2500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, yellow, cream
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Amethyst Hairstreak (Chlorostrymon maesites)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from roots and trunk after fire damage. Commonly colonizes burned areas in tropical regions.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- tolerates poor soil fertility
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have hard coat requiring scarification (hot water treatment or mechanical nicking). Germinates readily in warm conditions after treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI