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Leucaena leucocephala, White Leadtree

Michael G. Andreu, Melissa H. Friedman, and Robert J. Northrop

Warning: white leadtree is a category II invasive species in Florida, and its possession, transport, and cultivation is strictly prohibited by the Florida Division of Plant Industry.

Family

Fabaeceae, legume or pea family

Genus

The genus name Leucaena comes from the Greek words leuc meaning “white” and caen meaning “new” or “recent,” and refers to the whitish flowers this tree produces each year.

Species

The species name leucocephala comes from the Greek words leuc meaning “white” and cephal meaning “head.” Like the genus name, the species name also refers to the whitish flowers that the tree produces each spring, but it also alludes to the fact that the blossoms are in clusters or “heads” around the tree.

Common Name

White Leadtree, Lead Tree, Jumbie Bean

Lead tree is the common name for all members of the Leucaena genus. White leadtree refers to this particular tree’s whitish blossoms and reflects the scientific name. The name “jumbie bean” refers to the word jumbey, and is in reference to the name of a disease acquired by animals that eat certain parts of the tree.

White leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala).
Figure 1. White leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala).
Credit: Dinesh Valke, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, http://flic.kr/p/34RxzU

Description

This evergreen tree is native to Mexico and Central America, but it can also be found in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, the Virgin Islands, and other tropical regions of the world. In its native range, it typically inhabits grassy hammocks and areas with sandy, well-draining soil, while elsewhere it emerges in a multitude of dry-to-mesic disturbed sites. White leadtree grows best in full sunlight and can reach heights of up to 60 feet. The leaves are alternately arranged, bipinnately compound, and typically 10 inches in length. Each leaflet is ½ inch long and spear-shaped. The bark is lightly textured and grayish-brown in color when mature. Flowers are white and grow in globe-shaped clusters at the ends of the branches, with each cluster being less than 1 inch wide. Fruits are 4- to 6-inch-long, flat pods that are 1–2 inches wide. Pods have raised edges, turn from green to brown with maturity, and contain 10–30 oval-shaped, brown seeds.

Applications

Commercial/Practical

In Florida, white leadtree is a prohibited species and therefore is not used in commercial applications in the state. However, in its native range it is used as a source of charcoal, fuel, and lumber. It has also been planted as a windbreak for crops such as coffee and cocoa, and some ranchers use the tree as a source of both shade and forage for cattle, with the pods being an excellent source of protein. In addition, as white leadtree forms a well-developed taproot, it has been planted to assist with erosion control.

Cultural

In the Caribbean islands, the seeds are strung together to make necklaces. In other locations, the pods and roasted seeds are a source of food.

Horticultural

In Florida, white leadtree is considered a category II invasive species, and has the potential to displace native plant communities because it is an aggressive competitor for resources. As a result, the Division of Plant Industry strictly prohibits possessing (including collecting), transporting (including importing), and cultivating this species. In its native range, however, white leadtree is planted as a shade tree.

Medicinal

While the bark can be made into tonics that reportedly heal stomach maladies, ingestion of other parts of the tree can cause infertility, hair loss, and other symptoms of a disease that West Indians call “jumbey.”

Wildlife

Birds and rodents benefit from eating the high-protein seeds, but they also act as dispersing agents of the seeds.

Additional References

University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (2009). Lead tree. https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/leucaena-leucocephala/.

USDA Plants Database (n.d.). Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=LELE10.

Publication #FOR299

Release Date:January 7, 2022

Related Experts

Friedman, Melissa H

staff

University of Florida

Andreu, Michael G.

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

Northrop, Robert J

County agent

University of Florida

Organism ID
General Public

About this Publication

This document is FOR299, one of a series of the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date July 2012. Revised January 2022. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Michael G. Andreu, associate professor; Melissa H. Friedman, research scientist; School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences; and Robert J. Northrop, Extension forester, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

  • Michael Andreu