Gliricidia Sepium Tree Seeds: Fast-Growing Green Manure & Shade Tree

Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium)

Morphology of Fruit & Seed

• Pods: 8–12 cm long, yellowish-brown when ripe, containing 8–10 seeds per pod.
• Seeds: Light brown, oval-shaped.

Seed Collection & Storage

Pods are collected in February–March before they split open naturally. They are sun-dried for 3–4 days to extract the seeds. Seed viability is retained for up to one year.

Pretreatment Recommended

• Soak seeds in hot water.
• Allow to cool overnight.
• Sow the next morning.

Nursery Technique

• Dibble two seeds per polybag in March.
• Water regularly and provide overhead shade.
• Germination within 10 days.
• Seedlings ready for planting by July.
• Also easily propagated by cuttings when soil moisture is adequate.

Seed Rate

• 3 m × 1 m spacing: 1333 plants/acre
• 4 m × 1 m spacing: 1000 plants/acre