About Leucaena retusa Benth.
Leucaena retusa Benth. is a species of flowering plant in the legume family. It has several common names: littleleaf leadtree, goldenball leadtree, wahoo tree, and lemonball. This species is native to the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila, and the US state of Texas, and it also occurs in New Mexico. This plant grows as a small tree that can reach up to 7.5 meters (25 feet) in height. Its leaves range in color from bright green to blue-green, and each leaf is divided into multiple leaflets. It produces yellow to white spherical flowers, and flowering occurs from April through October. Flowering is usually very profuse after rain events. Its fruit is a legume pod that can grow up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) in length. The wood of this tree is weak and breaks easily. It grows in dry habitats, is drought-tolerant, and is adapted to alkaline soils and full sunlight. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant for its attractive appearance. It can be grown easily from seed, will reseed itself on its own, and can even become weedy. It is not considered useful as a honey plant, nor is its wood considered useful. Livestock and white-tailed deer find the plant's herbage palatable, and its seeds are high in protein.
