Madre Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) is a versatile leguminous tree known for its rapid growth and many uses. Valued across tropical regions, its applications range from agricultural enhancement to animal health. Its common name, meaning “mother of cocoa,” stems from its historical use as a shade tree in cacao plantations.
Understanding Madre Cacao
Gliricidia sepium is a medium-sized, semi-deciduous tree, typically 10 to 12 meters tall, though some can reach 15 meters. It features smooth bark, whitish-gray to deep red-brown. Its pinnate leaves are about 30 cm long, with 5 to 20 ovate or elliptic leaflets. Flowers appear in dense clusters on leafless branches, typically bright pink to lilac with a pale yellow spot. The fruit is a flattened pod, 10 to 15 cm long, containing four to ten round, brown seeds.
Native to southern Mexico and northern Central America, Gliricidia sepium is now pantropical due to widespread cultivation. It thrives in seasonally dry tropical climates and tolerates various soil types, including acidic, sandy, clay, limestone, and slightly saline conditions. While preferring full sunlight, mature trees can tolerate light shade.
Key Benefits and Uses
For Animal Health and Nutrition
Madre Cacao is a significant nutritional source for livestock, especially ruminants like goats, cattle, and sheep. Its leaves are rich in crude protein (20-30%), fiber, and digestible dry matter. This high nutritional content increases animal weight, improves health, and enhances milk production and fertility in sheep. It serves as a cost-effective alternative to commercial animal feed.
Beyond nutrition, Madre Cacao is traditionally used for animal health, particularly for treating skin ailments like mange. Leaf extracts have insecticidal properties, ridding animals of ticks, fleas, and mites without host toxicity. Historically, farmers in Latin America washed livestock with a crushed leaf paste to deter parasites like torsalos. In the Philippines, leaf extract removes external parasites.
For Soil and Crop Enhancement
The tree plays a role in agroforestry systems due to its nitrogen-fixing capabilities. Through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria, Gliricidia sepium converts atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, enriching soil fertility. This process can significantly increase crop yields, sometimes two to three times, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Leaves and twigs are often incorporated into the soil as green manure, providing nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Madre Cacao is widely used as a shade tree for crops preferring dappled light, including coffee, cacao, and tea. Its fine, feathery foliage provides appropriate shade, and its ability to withstand repeated pruning allows for effective management in intercropping systems. In alley cropping, it suppresses weed growth and controls soil erosion, contributing to soil health and stability.
Other Practical Applications
Madre Cacao has other practical uses. It is commonly planted as living fences, as branches root easily to form sturdy boundaries for pastures and properties. Its dense wood is also used for firewood and charcoal. Additionally, the wood can be used for timber, posts, and tool handles. Historically, its seeds and bark have been used as rodenticides, a property reflected in its genus name, meaning “mouse killer.”
Cultivating Madre Cacao
Gliricidia sepium is easy to cultivate and establishes rapidly. It thrives in warm climates (15-30°C) and tolerates annual rainfall from 600 mm to 3500 mm. While adaptable to various well-drained soils, it performs best in loamy soils with moderate nutrient levels, tolerating slightly acidic to alkaline conditions (pH 4.5-8.5). It does not tolerate prolonged frost.
Propagation is successful from both seeds and cuttings. For seed propagation, soaking seeds in hot water for 12 hours can improve germination, which typically occurs within 7-14 days. Seedlings can be raised in a nursery for 6-8 weeks before transplanting. Cuttings, particularly semi-hardwood ones (2-6 cm diameter, 30-100 cm long), root readily, making it a “quickstick” tree. When planting cuttings, at least 20 cm should be buried, and the below-ground section can be wounded to promote rooting.
Basic care involves adequate moisture during establishment; cuttings, in particular, need consistent watering. Once established, the tree is drought-tolerant. Pruning is common, especially when used for fodder or green manure, with trees tolerating repeated cutting every 2-3 months. For soil fertility management in intercropping, spacing of 3-4 meters between rows and 0.5-1 meter within rows is often recommended.
Important Considerations
While Madre Cacao offers many benefits, certain considerations are important for its safe and effective use. The seeds and bark of Gliricidia sepium contain toxic compounds, historically used as rodenticides due to their toxicity. While generally safe for common livestock like cattle and goats when consumed as fodder in practical amounts, ingesting very large quantities or specific plant parts can cause digestive discomfort.
While leaves are widely used for animal feed and topical treatments, internal consumption by certain animals, such as horses, might be toxic. For pet owners, Madre Cacao products for external applications, like mange treatments, are generally safe for dogs and cats. However, internal use as a food additive for pets is not recommended and can cause digestive issues. When using Madre Cacao, especially for traditional medicinal or pesticidal purposes, use extracts from pure sources to ensure efficacy and minimize risks.