| Leucaena retusa | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Leucaena |
| Species: | L. retusa |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucaena retusa | |
 | |
| Natural range | |
Leucaena retusa is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names littleleaf leadtree, goldenball leadtree, wahoo tree, and lemonball. [2] It is native to Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico and Texas in the United States. [3] It also occurs in New Mexico. [2] [1]
This plant is a small tree that can reach 7.5 m (25 ft) in height. The leaves are bright green to blue-green [4] in color and each is divided into several leaflets. [2] The spherical flowers are yellow to white. [4] The trees flower in April through October. They tend to flower profusely after rain. The fruit is a legume pod up to 25 cm (10 in) in length. The wood is weak and breaks easily. [2] [4]
This tree grows in dry habitat and is drought-tolerant. [2] It is adapted to alkaline soils and full sunlight. [4] It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant for its attractive appearance. It is easily grown from seed and it will reseed itself. [2] It can even become weedy. [4] It is not considered useful as a honey plant or for its wood. [2]
Animals such as livestock and white-tailed deer find the herbage palatable. The seeds are also high in protein. [2]