Tagasaste Seeds. Harvested here at Tagari Garden Farm. Approx. 40 Seeds.

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Just think, growing these seeds at your place means that part of the Permaculture Institute, and Tagari Garden Farm is there with you!  This makes us happy!

Plant Description: Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Palmensis), also known as Tree Lucerne is a small evergreen tree that grows 3-4 metres in height.    Leguminous, fast-growing, and hardy, Tagasaste is used as habitat and fodder for birds & bees, for fertiliser, and for windbreaks.      The scented, creamy-white flowers form ornate clusters in the Springtime.  It is a member of the Pea family (legume) and is grown in all parts of the world as an animal fodder crop.

Recommended Planting Time: Tagasaste can be planted all throughout the year, but roots establish much quicker when watered regularly during the first year.  Small plants must be protected with tree guards to deter Rabbits, Wallabies, etc from eating the young, tender growth.

Spacing:  Plant seedlings one metre apart.  When planted in rows that run North-South, it has been found that both the shoots and roots grow twice as fast on the West Side of the plant, as on the East.

Growing :  Tagasaste is suited to well-drained soils, and its roots can extend down to 10 metres.  These deep roots extract moisture from the depths during long, dry Summers.  There are also many ‘feeder’ roots that are confined to the top 1.5 metres and extend out at least 15 metres from the trunk.   These roots extract mineral nutrients from the soil, and water in Winter.  This root system is very similar to the native Banksia shrubs that grow naturally in Australia.  It is susceptible to root rot fungus in poorly drained soils.  Mature plants will tolerate Winter temperatures as low as -9°C, but seedlings can be killed at temperatures below Zero.  Tagasaste can tolerate frost in most cases.  Growth of mature trees will slow in Winter, but it is generally a fast-growing tree for the majority of the year.