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Climate

Plants for the Hot semi-arid (BSh) climate

Hot semi-arid: scarce, irregular rain. Favor hardy, deep-rooted species, fast shade, and every bit of biomass turned into mulch — the water that falls has to stay in the system.

81 species in the catalog · Refine this list in the catalog

vetiver

Chrysopogon zizanioides

Placenta II Low Mulch biomass

Perennial grass with deep vertical roots (up to 4 m), originally from India. The Bosque de Niebla Guidebook recommends vetiver as a hedgerow specie...
butterfly pea

Clitoria ternatea

Placenta I Ground cover Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer

A perennial herbaceous climbing legume able to fix up to 100 kg N per hectare per year in symbiosis with Rhizobium. Used as a high-value forage (pr...
hybrid coconut

Cocos nucifera

Secondary II High No biomass production

Dwarf × Tall hybrids registered by Embrapa (BRS 001, 002, 003). Intermediate height (15–20 m), early bearing (4 years), medium fruits. Combine Tall...
tall coconut

Cocos nucifera

Secondary II Emergent No biomass production

Tall variety — emergent (20–30 m), 60–70 year lifespan, first flowering at 5–7 years. 60–80 large fruits per plant per year for copra, oil, and fib...
green dwarf coconut

Cocos nucifera

Secondary II High No biomass production

Green Dwarf cultivar — Brazil's commercial mainstay for coconut water. 8–12 m tall, 30–40 year economic life, first harvest at 2–3 years. Yields 15...
coconut palm

Cocos nucifera

Secondary II Emergent No biomass production

High-value palm naturalized along Brazilian coastlines. Pasini lists it in the emergent stratum of Tabela 3. Tolerates salinity and coastal winds; ...
camaratuba

Cratylia mollis

Placenta II Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer

Native shrubby legume of the Caatinga; one of the most important fodder species of the northeastern semiarid, with strong drought resistance and hi...
melon

Cucumis melo

Placenta I Ground cover No biomass production

Annual creeping cucurbit. EcoAgri lists it in the ground-cover stratum of the 'up to 6 months' bin. Cultivated in hot, dry climates; very popular i...
lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Placenta I Low Mulch biomass

Perennial aromatic grass (1–1.5 m) forming dense clumps. Lemon-scented leaves (citral). Permanent cover between tree rows in syntropic systems, mos...
mulungu

Erythrina velutina

Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer

Brazilian-native nitrogen-fixing tree legume; propagates easily by cuttings and produces abundant fertilizer biomass. Cited by Pasini among tree-fo...
gliricidia

Gliricidia sepium

Secondary I Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer

Nitrogen-fixing legume that tolerates drastic pruning and produces fast-decomposing fertilizer biomass. Commonly used as shade for coffee and cocoa...
West Indian elm

Guazuma ulmifolia

Secondary I High Mulch biomass

Fast-growing pioneer tree native to the Cerrado, Pantanal, and Atlantic Forest. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and in the 10–20 ye...
mangaba

Hancornia speciosa

Secondary II Medium

Evergreen to semi-deciduous tree 2–10 m tall, characteristic of Brazilian Cerrado and coastal tablelands. Considered one of Brazil's priority 'Plan...
pink lapacho

Handroanthus impetiginosus

Climax Emergent Mulch biomass

Emergent tree native to Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Amazon, and Pantanal. Reaches 20–35 m in the wild, 8–12 m in cultivation. Vivid magenta...
roselle

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Placenta II Medium Mulch biomass

An annual or short-lived subshrub in the Malvaceae, native to Africa and cultivated throughout the tropics. The fleshy red calyces are used to make...
bellyache bush

Jatropha gossypiifolia

Placenta II Low Mulch biomass

Xerophytic shrub native to the Caatinga, cited by Rebello among plants that thrive in low-rainfall environments, alongside forage cactus and sisal....
leucaena

Leucaena leucocephala

Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer

Fast-growing nitrogen-fixing tree legume with strong coppicing ability. Cited by Pasini as a tree-form fertilizer biomass species — sources fertili...
Brazilian ironwood

Libidibia ferrea

Secondary II High Fertilizer & mulch

Leguminous tree occurring in Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Sun-tolerant and melliferous.
acerola

Malpighia emarginata

Secondary I High No biomass production

Small fruit shrub; fruits exceptionally rich in vitamin C. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and cites it among Abundance-system spec...
tommy atkins mango

Mangifera indica

Secondary II High No biomass production

Dominant cultivar in Brazil's mango export trade (~90% of volume). Origin: Florida (1922). Vigorous tree (10–14 m unpruned), dense rounded canopy. ...
mango

Mangifera indica

Secondary II High No biomass production

Long-lived tropical fruit tree. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and in the '20 to 50 years' phase of Tabela 4 (high stratum). A key...
espada mango

Mangifera indica

Secondary II Emergent Mulch biomass

Brazil's oldest mango cultivar. Vigorous tall tree (12–15 m), green-to-yellow fruit with fibrous flesh (300 g, 18° Brix). Today used more as rootst...
haden mango

Mangifera indica

Secondary II High No biomass production

Florida heirloom (1910), pioneer of the modern mango era. Large tree (10–12 m), predominantly yellow oval fruit with pink blush, 350–680 g, low fib...
rosa mango

Mangifera indica

Secondary II High No biomass production

Traditional Brazilian cultivar with medium tree (8–10 m). Yellow-to-pink fruit (350 g), golden-yellow flesh of excellent flavor (21.8° Brix), low f...

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is the Hot semi-arid (BSh) climate?

Hot, with scarce and irregular rainfall (300–800 mm/year). The climate of the Caatinga. Agroforestry here starts from xerophytic species and prioritises water capture and infiltration.

Which plants does the catalog suggest for the Hot semi-arid (BSh) climate?

The catalog holds 81 species, among them vetiver, butterfly pea, hybrid coconut. Each profile shows stratum, succession stage, and the management data, with sources cited.