Stats

Lifespan: Up to 1,000 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Arid scrubland
Range: South America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Spines
Status: Rare

About

Kiawe is a thorny mesquite tree native to the coastal regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its roots can grow up to 100 feet deep, making it capable of anchoring itself in the most challenging terrains.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Neltuma
Species: Neltuma pallida