Prosopis alba

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit, Pods

The pods can be eaten fresh as a fruit or preserved in their own sweet juice. Dried and ground into flour, the powder can be mixed with a little water and eaten immediately or used to make cakes. The popular drink 'aloja' is prepared from the fresh, sweet pods. A soft, sweet-flavoured gum obtained from the stems is used as a candy. The pods are considered a staple crop providing balanced carbohydrate.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in subtropical regions. It cannot tolerate frost. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 100-500 mm. It can tolerate drought. It can grow in salty soils. It grows below 1,000 m above sea level. It can grow to 3,000 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,500 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Bolivia, Brazil*, Central America, Chile, India, Indonesia, Israel, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay*, Peru, SE Asia, Senegal, South America*, Sudan, Uruguay, USA,

How to Identify

A tree. It grows 8-10 m high. It has spines. It has a short trunk about 1 m across. The crown is 10 m across. The bark is thin and grey. The leaves have small leaflets along the stalk. The flowers are small and greenish-white. The fruit are pods and are red-orange. They are 20 cm long. The seeds are brown and 7 mm long.

Nutrition Score: 50/100

How to Grow

It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures fall within the range 10 - 20°c, though it can tolerate 7 - 28°c and an absolute maximum of 45°c. Mature specimens can tolerate occasional short-lived temperatures down as low as -6°c, though younger plants can be killed at -1°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 200 - 500mm, tolerating 100 - 700mm. Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well-drained. Tolerates somewhat saline soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Under optimal conditions, a large tree (40 cm in basal diameter and 7 m in canopy diameter) may produce 40 kg of pods. Some forms of this plant are thorn-free. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. The growing plant utilizes some of this nitrogen, but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Mesquite pods are typically harvested in late Summer to Autumn, depending on the species and environmental conditions. Mesquite trees flower in Spring, usually from April to June (Northern Hemisphere). Mesquite trees are fast growers, often reaching heights of 4-10 meters (12-35 feet) in just a few years, depending on the species and environmental conditions.

Propagation: Seed remains viable for several years in normal storage. The hard seed coat requires scarification before sowing; this can be achieved by burning, nicking, or immersion in boiling water. If seeds are not extracted from pods before sowing, several minutes of boiling are typically needed to break dormancy. Seeds are normally sown directly into containers. Germination begins after about 2 weeks and may continue for up to a month. Plants are ready for field planting when 30–35cm tall. Direct seeding is also possible. Seeds should be inoculated with mesquite rhizobia. The species competes well with grasses and shrubs.

Medicinal Uses

Leaf extracts have shown antibacterial activity. The bark, branches, gum, and foliage are antiseptic, antidysenteric, and emollient, and are used as a treatment for gastritis.

Other Uses

The nitrogen-fixing properties, rapid growth, and deep roots make this species suitable for erosion control and soil improvement. It is planted in reclamation schemes for salt-affected soils and used as a windbreak. A gum from the trunk has physical and chemical properties similar to gum arabic. The bark and wood are rich in tannins, with the wood containing 5–9%. The heartwood is reddish-brown and the sapwood yellowish. The wood is fairly dense and difficult to work, and is used for parquet floors, doors, and furniture. It is excellent for firewood and charcoal production. Flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Pods are consumed by birds and mammals, and the tree provides shelter and nesting habitat for wildlife. Bark, fallen pods, and leaf litter provide overwintering sites and shelter for invertebrates.

Prosopis alba is a deciduous tree reaching 10 m tall with a 10 m spread, growing at a medium rate. It thrives in UK zone 10 and tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. The tree adapts to mildly acidic through basic soil pH and saline conditions, though it requires full sun and cannot tolerate shade. It prefers dry to moist soil and handles drought well, resisting strong winds but not maritime exposure. Bee-pollinated flowers support nitrogen fixation and attract wildlife.

Other Information

It is an important food.

Notes

Also as Mimosaceae.

More from Fabaceae

Abrus cantoniensis

Abrus precatorius

Bird's eye, Indian liquorice

Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus

Abrus pulchellus

Malay licorice

Acacia abyssinica

Flat-top acacia

Acacia acatlensis

Chondata