Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Agroforestry Services: Living trellis  Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Fodder: Bank  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

A plant of low to medium elevations in the tropics, where it is usually found at elevations below 1,500 metres[303 ]. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 500 - 2,000mm and there is a maximum of 4 months with less than 100mm rainfall[303 ]. The mean annual temperature is above 22°c[303 ]. The trees are fairly tolerant of wind, unless branches have been damaged by borers[303 ]. Often grown as an ornamental or to provide shade in plantations, the tree has occasionally escaped from cultivation and become naturalized. It is classified as invasive in some Pacific islands[305 ]. Thornless forms generally produce fewer flowers and fruit than wild forms which have spines[310 ]. The cultivated thornless forms may reach an age of 40 - 50 years, but often die earlier because of diseases and pests[303 ]. Pruning and pollarding are very well tolerated[303 ]. Where the tree is pruned, it is sometimes used as a medium level shade tree, interplanted with taller shade trees like Paraserianthes falcataria or Grevillea robusta[303 ]. Elsewhere, it is not pruned and is used for high shade, interplanted with Leucaena leucocephala to provide the low shade[303 ]. In Western Samoa, yam vines planted in a circle around a tree are allowed to cover the canopy and suppress its growth[303 ]. The flowers contain large quantities of nectar and are a major source of food for birds during the dry season[310 ]. The various species of Erythrina can all, as far as is known, be intercrossed to produce fertile hybrids[310 ]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[755 ].

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Plants providing crop shade especially trees.
• Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
• Agroforestry Services: Living trellis  Plants to physically support other crops.
• Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
• 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.
• Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.