Suar Wood, Albizia Saman, Samanea Saman and Monkeypod, are a large, tall tree plant with a very wide canopy. This plant was once popular as a shade plant. This tree has several nicknames such as Saman, Rain Tree and Monkey Pod, and is placed in the genus Albizia. Its very extensive roots make it less popular because it can damage roads and surrounding buildings. Its name comes from water that often drips from the canopy because of its ability to absorb strong ground water and dirt from cicadas that live in trees.
Albizia Saman
Albizia Saman is a species of flowering tree in the pea family. This plant comes from tropical America but is now spread throughout the tropics. In some places it is even considered disturbing because the canopy prevents other plants from developing.
The Latin name of this Suar Wood is Samanea Saman (Rain Tree). This tree originally lived in South America and now naturally also lives in tropical weather. Naturally can reach growth up to a height of 25 meters and a diameter of 30 meters.
Called the Rain Tree because water often drips from the canopy due to its ability to absorb strong ground water. The leaves are also very sensitive to light and close together in cloudy (or dark) weather so that rainwater can touch the ground directly past the thick canopy of this tree. The grass is also greener under the rain tree compared to the grass around it.
This tree is intended for very large public spaces such as parks or parks, school grounds or yards that have a very large land area.
Suar Wood
Suar Wood characteristics are very easily recognized by the characteristics of the tree branches that will form like an umbrella shape. And this Suar Wood will grow wider than the height of the tree. The country of origin of this tree is used as an conditioning tree in plantations and parks.
In addition to the advantages above it turns out that Suar Woods are also able to absorb CO2 tens of times from ordinary trees. The Suar Wood is able to absorb 28.5 tons of carbondiocaside annually. (diamaeter canopy 15 meters). Compare that with ordinary trees that can absorb an average of 1 ton of CO2 in their 20 years of life. In addition, the Suar Wood is also able to reduce gas concentration effectively, without greening and has the ability to absorb strong ground water.
Perhaps because of this ability to absorb CO2, the government launched the 1 Billion Trees Planting program in 2010 with Suar Wood as the main tree to be planted.
Tree Characteristics
Albizia Saman can reach an average height of 30-40 m, tree circumference around 4.5 m and tree crown reaches 40 – 60 m. The irregular shape of the trunk is sometimes crooked, big bubbles. The compound leaves have a stem length of around 7-15 cm. [2]. While the old trees are brown and the surface of the skin is very rough and peeled.
Leaf characteristics
The leaves fold in the rainy weather and at night, so this tree is also called the Tree at 5 o’clock. The rain tree skin is brownish gray on the delicate young trees. While the width of the leaves is about 4-5 cm in dark green, on the bottom surface of the leaves has velvety, if you hold it feels soft.
Characteristics of Flowers
Rain trees bloom in May and June. Flowers are white and pink spots on the upper part of the feathers. The length of the flower reaches 10 cm from the flower lap to the tip of the flower feather. The crown tube is 3.7 cm long and has approximately 20-30 stamens about 3-5 cm long. Flowers produce nectar to attract insects for pollination.
Fruit characteristics
Rain tree fruit has a long straight shape, slightly curved, has a length of about 10-20 cm, has a width of 1.5-2 cm and a thickness of about 0.6 cm. The fruit is dark brown when the fruit cooks. The seeds are embedded in reddish brown meat which is very sticky and sweet containing about 5 – 25 seeds with a length of 1.3 cm.
