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Summary
A short lived, fast-growing perennial growing to 2m. Used as nitrogen-rich mulch in alley-cropping systems and in contour hedgerows. It is a good carbon farming plant.
Physical Characteristics

Desmodium cinereum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 2 m (6ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Desmodium luteocanescens M.E.Jones. Hedysarum cinereum Kunth. Hedysarum sericeum Mill. Meibomia cinerea (Kunth) Standl.
Habitats
Edible Uses
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
None Known
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Fodder Hedge Mulch Soil conditioner Straw
Contour hedgerows and alley cropping (used as nitrogen-rich mulch in alley-cropping systems) [415]. Foliage for stock feed. Leaf meal of D. cinereum gave similar benefits to Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal when fed as a protein supplement to poultryand pigs, and also gave incremental improvements in LWG of sheep when fed as hay. Nutrient analysis results for D. cinereum leaf were similar to those for Medicago sativa. Regular cutting stimulates multiple stems and increases yields of leaf. Nitrogen-rich mulch. Carbon Farming Solutions - Agroforestry Services: nitrogen, contour hedgerow, understory legume (Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland). Fodder: bank [1-1].
Special Uses
Carbon Farming Food Forest Hedge Nitrogen Fixer
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Agroforestry Services: Understory legume Fodder: Bank Management: Fodder Minor Global Crop
Climate: tropical highlands. Humidity: humid. Adapted to the wet tropics with more than 1500 mm average annual rainfall and a short, or no dry season. Lowland species found at altitudes between 0-1000m. Requires a mean annual temperature in excess of 20°C and has no frost tolerance. Found on moderately fertile, neutral or slightly acid soils. Becomes chlorotic in alkaline soil [415] . Fast growing but short lived. Regular cutting stimulates multiple stems and increases yields of leaf. If seed production is required, defoliation must be timed to avoid destroying the developing seed crop. Reported to be a high quality feed supplement for ruminants in southeast Asia [415]. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: minor global crop. Management: fodder (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].
Carbon Farming
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Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow
Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
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Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen
Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
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Agroforestry Services: Understory legume
Legume vegetation, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor.
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Fodder: Bank
Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
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Management: Fodder
Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
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Minor Global Crop
These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Propagation
Seed germinates quickly (3-4 days) without scarification.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Rensonii or Rensoni (Southeast Asia).
Native Plant Search
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Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Asia, Indonesia (South and southeast Asia and the Philippines), Mexico, South America (Western Mexico and Central America from Salvador to Nicaragua).
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Potential weed risk in the Pacific islands.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
(Kunth) DC.
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
Readers comment
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Subject : Desmodium cinereum
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