Sesban

Sesbania sesban

Physical Characteristics

Sesbania sesban is a SHRUB growing to 5 m (16ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid, very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought. The plant is not wind tolerant.

Distribution

Africa, through Arabia, southern Asia to Australia. Widely naturalised in other areas of the tropics.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Seed Edible Uses: Flowers - cooked[301 , 418 ]. They are included, perhaps as a decorative or festive ingredient, in foods such as omelettes[303 ]. The leaves and flowers are eaten as vegetable[301 , 317 ]. The seeds are ground into a powder and fermented to make a paste, known as 'soumbara', used as a flavouring[301 ]. Fresh seeds are poisonous to humans but are eaten after soaking for 3 days and then cooking[418 ].

Medicinal Uses

The fresh roots and leaves are used to treat scorpion stings, boils and abscesses[303 ]. The leaves are considered to have antibiotic, anthelmintic, antitumor and contraceptive properties[303 ]. A decoction is used to treat sore throat, gonorrhoea, syphilis, spasmodic fits in children and jaundice during pregnancy[303 ]. An oil obtained from the seeds is accorded special properties in ayurvedic medicine and is reported to have antibacterial, cardiac depressant and hypoglycaemic actions[303 ]. The saponin, stigmasta-galactopyranoside, which is isolated from the seeds, shows spermicidal and haemolytic activity[303 ].

Known Hazards

Fresh seeds are poisonous to humans but are eaten after soaking for 3 days and then cooking[418 ].