Description

General Description

Paraserianthes falcataria, commonly called Moluccan albizia, batai, or falcata, is one of the fastest-growing tropical trees, widely cultivated in Southeast Asia for timber, pulpwood, and reforestation. It is native to the Moluccas (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

• Family: Fabaceae (legume family)
• Height: 30–45 m tall; trunk diameter up to 70–100 cm
• Trunk/Bark: Straight bole, light-colored bark, smooth when young, becoming slightly fissured with age
• Leaves: Bipinnate, feathery, light green; leaflets small and numerous, giving a soft texture
• Flowers: Small, creamy-white, fragrant, borne in rounded heads; attract bees and other pollinators
• Fruit: Flat pods, 10–15 cm long, containing 15–20 small brown seeds