NICE! Plant of the Month
(Leucaena retusa)
Family: Fabaceae
Other Common Names: Goldenball Leadtree
Type: Deciduous tree
Natural Habitat: Dry canyons of southwestern Edwards Plateau, Trans-Pecos Mountains, northern Mexico, and southern New Mexico
Growth: Loose shrub or small tree 12 to 15 ft. tall but can reach 25 ft.
Preferred Site and Use: Hot, dry exposures in poor, rocky soil; does well in better soil.
Deer Resistance: Browse for deer and cattle; must be protected when small
Wildlife: Nectar source for butterflies and bees.
Light Tolerance: Part shade to full sun.
Flowers: Numerous, fragrant, golden yellow, 1-inch balls in April and sporadically during warm weather.
Fruit: Papery brown pods; narrow and 4 to 10 inches long
Leaves: Bipinnately compound, having 3 to 8 pair of ½ to ¾ inch oblong leaflets.
Water Requirements: Low when established.
Soil Requirements: Well drained limestone, caliche, sand, clay or loam.
Maintenance: Generally multi-trunked but can be pruned to single trunk.
Planting Instructions: Space plants 12 to 15 feet apart. Dig a hole at least two times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Sides of the hole should be irregular, not smooth. Remove plant from container, taking care to support the root ball. Loosen exterior roots gently with your fingers. If the plant is root-bound and cannot be loosened by hand, the outer roots may be cut in several places. Lift the plant by the root ball and place into the hole. Backfill hole, using soil that was dug out. Do not add any soil to the top of the root ball, but a thin layer of compost may be spread over the soil surface. Gently firm the soil with your hands, but do not tamp it down. Place 3-4 inches of mulch over the bare soil around, but not touching the base of the plant.
Watering Instructions: Water deeply after planting to settle soil around roots. Then every 7-10 days, as needed, during the first growing season. Before watering, check for soil moisture at a depth of an inch or two at the edge of the root ball. Skip a watering after a rainfall of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall. Reduce watering during the cool fall and winter months. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary during the fall and winter, but during a dry period, monthly watering may be needed. Second Spring and thereafter: Water monthly only during periods of drought. Once established, natives will survive with little supplemental irrigation.
NICE! Tip: Fairly fast growing and wood is generally brittle, so protect from strong winds.
Look for the NICE! Plant of the Month signs and information sheets on your next visit to a participating Boerne nursery. And thank you for supporting native plants by using them in your landscapes.
