Gliricidia sepium

Nicaraguan Cocoa-shade, Quickstick, Madre de Cacao, Gliricidia, Mexican Lilac

Message of the Flower

Refinement of Habits

The Mother’s Comment

Orderly, clean, and well-organised.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The preoccupation with universal beauty even in its aesthetic forms has an intense power for refining and subtilising the nature, and at its highest it is a great force for purification.

Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Higher and the Lower Knowledge

Colour

Pink, pale yellow, maroon

Family

Fabaceae

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

Around 2-3 cm in length

Flower Texture

Smooth

Number of Petals

Five

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral

Fragrance of Flower

Mild, sweet

Leaf Texture

Smooth

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate, pinnately compound

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Small tree or shrub

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Varies by region, often after the first rains

Climate

Tropical and subtropical

Water Requirements

Moderate, drought-tolerant once established

Soil Type

Adaptable, prefers well-drained soils

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in warm temperatures, not frost-tolerant

Sun or Shade

Full sun to partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Generally resistant, but can be affected by pests and diseases common to legumes

Pollinators

Bees

Habitat

Native to the tropical Americas; widely introduced and naturalized in tropical regions worldwide

Role in the Ecosystem

Nitrogen fixation, soil improvement, erosion control

Ornamental

Valued for its flowers and as a shade tree in coffee plantations

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Agroforestry, alley cropping, live fencing

Endangered Status

Not considered endangered; it is widely cultivated and naturalized

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