Pithecellobium dulce Quamachil 100, 250, 500 seeds 3

Description

May 23, 2022'
Pithecellobium dulce Quamachil
Quamachil, Madras thorn, Manila tamarind
Origin: Southern sea coast, INDIA
Pithecellobium dulce a small to medium-sized, evergreen spiny tree, up to 18m in height, native of tropical America, and cultivated throughout the plains of India and in the Andamans. Bark smooth, grey with yellowish white lenticels; leaves bipinnate; pinnae 2; pinnules 2 in each pinna, obliquely ovate oblong, 1-4cm in diam., small, white; pods curved or twisted, constricted, reddish brown, 10.0-15.0cm long and 1.0-1.5cm broad; seeds 6-10 shining black, enveloped in pink to whitish, pulpy aril.Quamachil is a hardy tree and grows even in waste and denuded lands, pure sandy soil and on seacoast with its roots in brackish or salt water. It can withstand a good deal of shade and is resistant to drought. It reproduces easily by seeds or cuttings.

Quamachil is a common roadside tree in Indonesia, especially in the towns. There it is pruned in to a shapely avenue tree. There also exists a variegated mutant which is popularly grown as a pot plant.  It is only in the Philippines that it is grown for its fruits.
The most commonly used method for propagating quamachil is seed.  The seeds take about 2 weeks to germinate. Superior varieties should be propagated asexually by marcotting, grafting or budding.
Quamichil is a very hardy plant and does not receive any treatment other than occasional pruning after the young plant gets established in the field. Pests and diseases do not create any serious problem.
The pods split open at the lower suture at maturity.  This exposes the edible aril. The fruit does not keep long because of this and have to be consumed within a few days.
Quamachil is very specific in its climatic requirements and grows well at low and medium altitudes in both wet and dry areas under full sun light. Although well-drained soil is best, it can also grow successfully in heavy clay soils.
Seedling trees take 5-8 years for coming into bearing. In the Philippines they flower from October to November and bear mature fruits in abundance during January and February; in west-Java bloom is between April and June and the pods ripen 2-3 months later, from June to August.
Treatment: Scarification. It is recommendable to get higher germination rate.
6,700 seeds/kg