Small, fast-growing tree, great for stock fodder, firewood and shelter. A brilliant tree for sustainable agriculture and gardens, Tree Lucerne is nitrogen fixing, drought-tolerant and controls erosion with its deep roots. Loved by pollinators during the flowering season and one of the best trees to attract tui, kereru and other native birds to your garden during winter and spring when it is in flower. This is a selected taller strain with prolific white flowers and a vigorous bushy habit.Seed has been sustainably foraged and has not undergone commercial seed cleaning or grading. Seed is overpacked to ensure appropriate viable plants can be achieved due to the naturally low germination capacity. The seed has a hard external skin which keeps moisture out and slows germination, so some assistance will hasten the process. 'Sowing Tree Lucerne (Tagasaste)First, soak the seeds in hot water (not boiling water, if the water burns you, it will cook the seeds). Allow the seed to soak in this water for 12 to 24 hours. Drain off the water and remove all swollen seeds. These are 2 to 3 times the size of an unswollen seed and are brown in colour. Continue the hot water treatment, daily, on the un-swollen seed till all have swollen.Sow into seed-raising mix in trays or individual pots and pot on to a larger container as seedlings get bigger, when plants are 5-10cm tall. Grow on further until ideally 50-75cm tall before hardening off and planting outdoors 2-3 metres apart.Caring for Tree Lucerne (Tagasaste)Young Tree Lucerne plants benefit from protection against heavy frost and strong winds. Minimal watering is required once roots are established due to drought tolerance. Light pruning can also be beneficial to support dense structure and long-term stability.Use for Tree Lucerne (Tagasaste)Some agriculture systems use tree lucerne for high-protein food and shelter. Gardens can also gain wildlife value through bird and pollinator attraction. Tree Lucerne can also be beneficial for erosion control, soil improvement and firewood production.
