Tagasaste
Chamaecytisus proliferus
Also listed as Cytisus proliferus
Also known as Tree Lucerne, Tree Lucern
Climate Match for your location
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Tagasaste is a nitrogen-fixing legume shrub valued in permaculture for livestock fodder, soil improvement, and erosion control. It grows rapidly in arid and semi-arid climates with minimal water and maintenance.
Why grow it
Tagasaste establishes faster than many nitrogen-fixing shrubs in water-limited environments, making it useful where Acacia or Sesbania struggle with drought stress. Unlike herbaceous legumes, its woody structure provides sustained fodder availability across seasons and contributes durable biomass for erosion control on marginal land. It tolerates poor soils and minimal inputs more readily than most productive fodder species, though it yields less total biomass than irrigated alfalfa or tree lucerne in favorable conditions.
Watch out for
Tagasaste may require several seasons to reach productive size, so rotational grazing plans should account for slower establishment than annual legume crops. In some climates, regrowth after heavy browsing or cutting can be uneven, occasionally producing sparse canopy rather than dense productive stands. Performance varies notably by seed provenance and local climate, so site-specific observation during early years helps determine whether it will reliably fill the intended role.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
Canary Islands
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Tagasaste is a nitrogen-fixing legume shrub valued in permaculture for livestock fodder, soil improvement, and erosion control. It grows rapidly in arid and semi-arid climates with minimal water and maintenance.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Tagasaste grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Tagasaste establishes faster than many nitrogen-fixing shrubs in water-limited environments, making it useful where Acacia or Sesbania struggle with drought stress. Unlike herbaceous legumes, its woody structure provides sustained fodder availability across seasons and contributes durable biomass for erosion control on marginal land. It tolerates poor soils and minimal inputs more readily than most productive fodder species, though it yields less total biomass than irrigated alfalfa or tree lucerne in favorable conditions.
Watch out for
Tagasaste may require several seasons to reach productive size, so rotational grazing plans should account for slower establishment than annual legume crops. In some climates, regrowth after heavy browsing or cutting can be uneven, occasionally producing sparse canopy rather than dense productive stands. Performance varies notably by seed provenance and local climate, so site-specific observation during early years helps determine whether it will reliably fill the intended role.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
Canary Islands
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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