River Koko
Inga vera
- Native to:
- Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
Photo by David J. Stang
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Inga
- Species:
- Inga vera
- USDA Symbol:
- INVE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 2500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Sky-pointing moth (Agathodes designalis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bats, bees
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in riverbanks and floodplains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are recalcitrant and must be planted fresh; they do not tolerate drying or storage.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI