Fabaceae
Entada rheedii
African Dream Herb, Snuff Box Sea Bean
L
Available in our catalogue
We propagate this species and you can order it from our catalogue.
View in catalogue →About
This vigorous woody liana can grow up to 120 metres long, with stems reaching 400mm in girth. Its bipinnate leaves feature oval leaflets and terminate in a forked tendril for climbing. Fragrant yellowish-white flowers appear in spikes, followed by enormous flat, woody pods up to 2 metres long that segment to release large, buoyant, dark brown seeds, often found drifting on tropical beaches.
Where it works in Kilifi
Ideal for coastal and riverine forest restoration projects or as a substantial specimen plant in a large Kilifi garden. It thrives in tropical lowlands, preferring full sun to partial shade, and requires ample space with a robust support structure for its extensive climbing habit.
Growing notes
A fast-growing species, it establishes well once rooted. Seeds require scarification (e.g., drilling a hole and soaking in water for 12-48 hours) to aid germination. Once established, it exhibits high drought tolerance, needing watering about every three weeks, and prefers a consistently moist but not waterlogged soil.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: sanbi.org, sheffields.com, wikipedia.org, theseedybusiness.com, flowersofindia.net, picturethisai.com. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.