Desmanthus
Name: |
Desmanthus (Desmanthus spp.) |
|---|---|
Description: |
A woody-stemmed, spreading, fern-like perennial. Subtropical, summer-growing legume of Central American origin. Its main use is to provide high-quality stockfeed, as it is a strong competitor with summer grasses. Its woody stems are a disadvantage to its use in crop rotations. |
| Sowing rate: | Sow into moist soil with at least 50–60 cm depth of good moist soil to ensure establishment. Sow no deeper than 1 cm (10 mm). Ensure seed has adequate germination as it is extremely hard-seeded when freshly stripped and must be scarified to raise the germination to 50–70%. |
| Minimum average annual rainfall: |
550 mm annual rainfall, with a predominance of summer rainfall. |
