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cebil

Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Anadenanthera

vilca, angico

Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🪓 Coppices after cutting
Victor Farjalla Pontes · CC BY · iNaturalist

Fast-growing pioneer legume, nitrogen fixer. Adapted to poor and degraded soils; widely used in restoration of degraded areas across Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Piptadenia colubrina (Vell.) Benth., Acacia colubrina (Vell.) Mart., Mimosa colubrina Vell., Piptadenia grata (Willd.) J.F.Macbr.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
High
Strata
Medium, High
Biomass class
Fertilizer biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Low
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Hardiness zones
9–11

Morphology

Mature height
12–25 m
Recommended spacing
3–12 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Fast
Time to first harvest
96 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Cebil takes the High stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

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Emergent High · ≈25 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Fast-growing pioneer legume of Caatinga/Cerrado that FIXES nitrogen via nodules (Burkholderia-preferring) — valuable for soil recovery and as a nurse/shade tree in consortia. Propagates easily from seed (no dormancy, high rapid germination >80% in 4–8 days); highly drought-tolerant once established but intolerant of waterlogging and only lightly frost-hardy. Reproductive maturity ~8 years.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: June, July, August, September, October, November

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of cebil?

The first harvest of cebil comes around 96 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for cebil?

The recommended spacing for cebil is 3–12 m.

How tall does cebil grow?

At maturity, cebil reaches 12–25 m tall.

When does cebil fruit?

Fruiting of cebil occurs in June, July, August, September, October, November.

When does cebil flower?

Flowering of cebil occurs in September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does cebil occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, cebil belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the high stratum.

Does cebil fix nitrogen?

Yes — cebil is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🌿 Biomass producer Timber 🍯 Melliferous Ritual Medicinal

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Anadenanthera colubrina: Angico — Embrapa
  2. Projeto Caatinga — Angico
  3. Bournaud et al. 2013, PLoS ONE — Burkholderia nodulation in Piptadenia group (incl. A. colubrina) (nitrogen_fixer)
  4. Useful Tropical Plants — Anadenanthera colubrina (waterlogging_tolerance, cultivation_notes)
  5. Phenology and spatial genetic structure of A. colubrina (PMC12026557) (phenology, time_to_first_harvest_months)
  6. Rewilding Brazil — Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, phenology)
  7. IPNI / Flora do Brasil — Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan (external_ids, synonyms)
  8. University of Arizona Campus Arboretum — Anadenanthera colubrina (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max)

External references

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