Sophora secundiflora
| Sophora secundiflora | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 33' |
| Speed: | Slow |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Sophora secundiflora (common name: mescal bean)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[1]. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in hot (not boiling) water and sow in late winter in a greenhouse[2]. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into individual pots in the greenhouse, and grow them on for 2 years under protected conditions. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of their third year.
Cuttings of young shoots with a heel, July/August in a frame[3].
Air-layering[1].
Cultivation: Succeeds in a well-drained moderately fertile soil in full sun[1]. Succeeds in a hot dry position. Rather slow-growing and difficult to transplant[4].
A very ornamental plant[5]. This species has not been tried outdoors in Britain, it is possibly hardy if grown in the sunniest mildest areas of the country, or against a sunny wall in less mild areas[3]. It grows best in the warmer areas of the country where the wood will be more readily ripened and better able to withstand winter cold[6].
Plants should be container-grown and planted out whilst young, older plants do not transplant well[6].
The flowers have a powerful and delicious fragrance[7][1], though some people find them offensive[4].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
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[1].
Range: Southern N. America - Texas, New Mexico and Northern Mexico.
Habitat: Borders of streams, forming thickets or small groves in low rather moist limestone soils[7].
Medicinal: Hallucinogenic, narcotic[7][8][9]. An infusion of the seeds is used[9][1], half a seed is enough to produce intoxication[9]. An infusion of the ground up seed has also been applied to ears in the treatment of earaches[10][11].
The seeds contain the highly poisonous alkaloid cytosine (or sophorine) - this substance is related to nicotine and acts violently in the human system[10].
Usage: A yellow dye is obtained from the wood[4].
Wood - very heavy, hard, close grained[7]. Of no commercial importance[4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The plant, and especially the seeds, contains the poisonous alkaloid cytosine (or sophorin according to another report[7]), which resembles nicotine in its action and is similarly toxic[12].
Also Known As: Broussonetia secundiflora. Virgilia secundiflora.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Vines, Robert. Trees of North Texas. University of Texas Press, 1982.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Emboden, William. Narcotic Plants. Studio Vista, 1979.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books, 1980.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.