Skip to main content

Kaliandra (Calliandra houstoniana)

Kaliandra (Calliandra houstoniana) is a plant species in Fabaceae, grows rapidly to 2.5-3.5 m tall in 6 months and 3-5 m high in the first year with a 60% light quantity, widely used for energy wood, animal feed, erosion control, soil nitrogen repair, fire retardant, shade and source of nectar for bees.

C. houstoniana grows to a maximum of 12 m and a stem diameter of 20 cm, red or gray bark covered by small, pale oval-shaped lenticels. Increasingly to the tip of the stem tends to jagged and reddish brown stems have a red tip. Taproot system is supported by finer roots with very large numbers and extends beyond the soil surface.

Dlium Kaliandra (Calliandra houstoniana)


The leaves are small, compounded pairs, soft texture and dark green, 20 cm long, 15 cm wide and at night will fold toward the trunk by the motion of the dictation due to changes in light to dark. The canopy widens to the side and is very dense.

Flower bunches develop in a centralized position and flowers cluster around the end of the stem with threads generally white at the base and a striking red at the end. Andromonecious flowers and after fertilization will produce fruit and seeds will develop for 90 days

Kaliandra blooms throughout the year, but the peak period is March and July. Each flower blooms at 4:00 pm and remains in bloom only overnight and then withers. Each bunch can flower for 90-120 days. Flowers are always more than fruit at a ratio of 1:20.

Seeds will be formed if random intermarriage occurs but also self-pollination which causes low genetic diversity. Pollination is carried out by bats (Chiroptera) and moths (Sphingidae). This plant is found in small populations for 30-60 individuals.





Pods will form for two to four months and mature to lengths of up to 14 cm and width of 2 cm. Straight, brownish in color, usually containing 8-12 oval and flat seeds. The mature seed surface has black or brown spots and a distinctive horseshoe-shaped mark on both flat surfaces.

C. houstoniana is a popular multipurpose tree because it is easy to plant, grows fast and sprouts again after being pruned repeatedly. Planted for fuelwood, animal feed, conservation and improvement of soil quality as a nitrogen binder, shade and flowering throughout the year is very important for honey production.

Kaliandra grows naturally along riverbanks and quickly occupies disturbed areas, but cannot withstand poorly drained soil and often cannot compete with other secondary vegetation. It lives at an altitude of up to 1,860 m, but will grow very well in 250-800 m with rainfall 2000-2400 mm/year and dry season 3-6 months.

This plant requires a daily temperature of 22-28C on various types of soil. It thrives quickly and covers open and marginal land. Farmers use Kaliandra to fight weeds including grass.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Mimosoideae
Tribe: Ingeae
Genus: Calliandra
Species: Calliandra houstoniana
Varieties: Calliandra houstoniana var. acapulcensis, Calliandra houstoniana var. anomala, Calliandra houstoniana var. calothyrsus

Popular Posts

Six new species forming the Sumbana species group in genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg 1798 from Indonesia

NEWS - Sumbawa longhorn ( Nemophora sumbana Kozlov, sp. nov.), Timor longhorn ( Nemophora timorella Kozlov, sp. nov.), shining shade longhorn ( Nemophora umbronitidella Kozlov, sp. nov.), Wegner longhorn ( Nemophora wegneri Kozlov, sp. nov.), long brush longhorn ( Nemophora longipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.), and short brush longhorn ( Nemophora brevipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.) from the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The Lesser Sunda Islands consist of two parallel, linear oceanic island chains, including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Sawu, Timor, Alor, and Tanimbar. The oldest of these islands have been continuously occurring for 10–12 million years. This long period of isolation has allowed significant in situ diversification, making the Lesser Sundas home to many endemic species. This island chain may act as a two-way filter for organisms migrating between the world's two great biogeographic regions, Asia and Australia-Papua. The recognition of a striking cli...

Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

Ranti or black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum ) is a species of plant in the Solanaceae, shrub and short-lived, stems erect or lying on the ground, berries have a black color when ripe, grows in forests, agricultural land and disturbed habitats. S. nigrum has stems erect or lying at ground level, 30–120 cm (12 to 47 in) long, branched, tubular with several linear grooves forming a cone, green and white-haired. Leaves are elliptical to heart-shaped, 4-7.5 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, pinnate base, pointed or blunt tip, wavy edge or large toothed, dark green upper side, pale underside, hairy or hairless and has a stalk with a length of 1-3 cm. Flowers have greenish to whitish petals, curved when old and surrounded by bright yellow anthers. The berries are mostly 6-8 mm in diameter and are green then turn dull black or black purple or red. Black nightshade grows well with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5 and is rich in organic matter. It is difficult to grow under conditions of high temperature and high hum...

Redflower ragleaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides)

Sintrong or ebolo or thickhead or redflower ragleaf ( Crassocephalum crepidioides ) are plant species in Asteraceae, terma height 25-100 cm, white fibrous roots, generally grow wild on the roadside, yard gardens or abandoned lands at altitude 200- 2500 m. C. crepidioides has erect or horizontal stems along the soil surface, vascular, soft, non-woody, shallow grooves, green, rough surface and short white hair, aromatic fragrance when squeezed. Petiole is spread on stems, tubular and eared. Single leaf, spread out, green, 8-20 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, longitudinal or round inverted eggshell with a narrow base along the stalk. Pointed tip, flat-edged or curved to pinnate, jagged rough and pointed. The top leaves are smaller and often sit. Compound flowers grow throughout the year in humps that are arranged in terminal flat panicles and androgynous. Green cuffs with orange-brown to brick-red tips, cylindrical for 13-16 mm long and 5-6 mm wide. The crown is yellow with a brownish red...