Desmodium salicifolium

Pleurolobus salicifolius

Native to:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Pleurolobus
Species:
Pleurolobus salicifolius
USDA Symbol:
DESA3

Growth Characteristics

Height:
120 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
jul,aug,sep
Bloom Colors:
pink, purple

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
thrives in riparian zones and forest edges

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
14–42 days
Notes:
Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds may benefit from brief hot water treatment or mechanical scarification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI