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Guilandina bonduc, known as nicker nut, is a thorny scrambling shrub or climber of tropical and subtropical coasts, grown mainly as an ornamental in warm regions. It needs a warm, frost-free site and room to sprawl, and its spiny stems and pods call for careful handling.
Guilandina bonduc, commonly known as nicker nut amongst other names, is a species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae that has a mostly pantropical distribution. It is a scrambling, thorny shrub or vine that is mostly found close to coastlines, and was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus.
Guilandina bonduc occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and is present on all continents except Antarctica. It typically grows near the coast, in scrub, on sand dunes and on the upper shore. It also occurs inland, in lowland secondary forest and disturbed areas near villages; this may be the result of the seed being accidentally dropped after being transported for medical purposes or for use as counters in board games. The seeds are buoyant and retain their viability in both fresh and sea water, enabling them to disperse to new coastal locations. When washed up on the shore, they are sometimes known as sea pearls.
Nodules on the plant's roots contain symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen. This is used as a nutrient by the vine and also benefits other plants growing in close proximity. It is a popular local ornamental plant in Malaysia.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Guilandina bonduc by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
