Sesbania Grandiflora, Hummingbird Tree - 0.5 kg Seeds

Sesbania grandiflora, the hummingbird tree or agati (Sesbania grandiflora), is a fast-growing soft-wooded leguminous tree valued across India as a multipurpose agroforestry species. Its large white or pink butterfly-shaped flowers and tender leaves are eaten as a vegetable, while the foliage is prized as a protein-rich green fodder and the tree fixes atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil.

It is widely planted as a living fence, windbreak and shade for crops, and as a nurse tree in plantations because it establishes within a year. In traditional medicine the bark, leaves and flowers are used for fevers, night blindness and inflammation. It grows readily across the warm plains of South and East India, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal and the coastal belt, thriving in moist, well-drained alluvial soils.

• Family: Fabaceae (legume)
• Native region: tropical Asia, including India and Southeast Asia
• Mature height: 8–12 m
• Growth rate: very fast

Sowing the seed: soak the hard seeds in water for 12–24 hours to soften the coat, then sow 1–2 cm deep in nursery bags or directly in moist soil at the onset of the monsoon. Germination is quick, usually within 7–14 days. Seedlings grow vigorously and can be transplanted to the field when 30–45 cm tall; handle the brittle taproot carefully during transplanting.