New stock mid July

Tree lucerne, also known as tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis), is a giant tree broom from the windswept Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It loves warm, dry, salty conditions.

Tagasaste (tag-a-sars-tay) grows very fast in NZ and flowers in late winter when there are few other nectar sources for wildlife. The great froth of bright white blossoms helps to feed bees at a time when there’s not much in flower, plus they attract bellbirds and are a favourite of native pigeons (kereru or kuku) which love the blossoms and nectar.

It prefers well-drained soil or sand or a mound to grow on. It will grow very fast into a small broad tree, made stronger by topping back one metre when it is 2m tall. This stops that very bowed over, floppy look which comes from growing too fast. It’s a great orchard shelter if you keep the sides trimmed.

Like all legumes, including gorse and broom, tree lucerne makes very hot burning firewood, hotter than gum or pine. Its small size is handy for cutting slim logs from the branches or topping the trees to make more branches.

They’re generally short-lived – about 10 years – but in that time they can grow remarkably big to a bush about 4m tall.

The branches are good fodder for stock and were promoted by the Tree Crops Association in the 1970s. Like willow, the branches can be cut in drought and fed out to livestock. In Western Australia it is grown as a fodder crop, the tree will naturally regulate its palaetability to livestock by increasing tannin levels should it be over grazed.

For larger orders please order a year in advance

To 4m