Plants
tamarind
Tamarindus indica L.
Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Tamarindus
African leguminous fruit tree naturalized in the Brazilian semi-arid. EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the '> 50 years' bin. Tolerates sandy, dry, and saline soils well; broad crown, long-lived.
Götsch succession
- Götsch stage
- Climax
- Ecological role
- Late secondary
- Primary stratum
- High
- Strata
- High, Emergent
- Biomass class
- No biomass production
Environment
- Light requirement
- Full sun
- Water requirement
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Soil pH range
- 4.5–8.5
- Preferred soil texture
- Sandy, Loamy, Clayey
- Frost tolerance
- -3.0 °C
Morphology
- Mature height
- 12–25 m
- Root system
- Taproot
- Root depth
- Deep
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Lifespan
- ≥ 100 years
- Time to first harvest
- 84 months
Biomes & climate
- Caatinga Naturalized
- Cerrado Naturalized
- Atlantic Forest Naturalized
Köppen classes
- Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
- Hot semi-arid (BSh) Suitable
Where it fits in a guild
Tamarind takes the High stratum in the Climax 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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❓ Frequently asked questions
How long until the first harvest of tamarind?
The first harvest of tamarind comes around 84 months after planting.
How tall does tamarind grow?
At maturity, tamarind reaches 12–25 m tall.
What stage and stratum does tamarind occupy in a syntropic system?
In a syntropic system, tamarind belongs to the climax stage, occupying the high stratum.
Does tamarind fix nitrogen?
Yes — tamarind is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.
Functions
Propagation
Seed, Grafting
Citations
- EcoAgri — Organização de algumas espécies vegetais por tempo de vida (placentas) e estrato (Cartilha 'Liberdade e Vida com Agrofloresta') , p. 4 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
- Useful Tropical Plants — Tamarindus indica (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, drought_tolerance, growth_rate, time_to_first_harvest_months, frost_tolerance_c, propagation, soil_texture_preference, height_max_m)
- GBIF — Tamarindus indica L. (accepted, key 2975768); POWO / Kew (external_ids)
External references
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