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Tephrosia vogelii
Also called Fish Poison Bean, Vogel Tephrosia, Fish Poison Pea
Tephrosia vogelii, the Vogel's tephrosia, fish-poison-bean or Vogel tephrosia (English), tefrósia (Portuguese) or barbasco guineano (Spanish), is a flowering plant species in the genus Tephrosia.
It is a herb or small tree that is native to tropical Africa and has also been used in tropical America as well as South and Southeast Asia. It is commonly used to deter pests and diseases, specifically fleas and ticks on animals. It is not suitable for livestock or human consumption because it is not highly nutritious and can be poisonous for fish and some other animals. Since it is a nitrogen-fixing plant, it can be intercropped with other plants and used as a source of green manure.
When it comes to its growing conditions, Tephrosia vogelii comes with many benefits. Firstly, it only takes three months to mature. It is also good as a shade or boundary crop and can be planted between rows of other plants or around the circumference. Planting of Tephrosia should be done at the beginning or middle of the rainy season in the region.
It is found in various habitats and can adapt to many different climates and weather types. Tephrosia is grown in vegetations similar to the savannah, grassland areas, forest margina, shrubland, wasteland and fallow fields. Since it is highly adaptable, this plant a great option to grow in most areas. Tephrosia reproduces through seeds. Without pesticide and chemical treatment, the seedling survival rate is 60%. Germination is stimulated when it is soaked in warm water. Since it grows slowly, it does not compete with maize or other crops, though there may be some competition with weeds. Planting stations require weeding and care during the beginning of the growth period. It is tolerant to pruning, drought, strong wind, and grazing.
Tephrosia can be used for various purposes besides human and livestock consumption which makes it a diverse and helpful plant. Its most common use is for organic tick control. First, leaves from the Tephrosia plant are ground up and a juice is extracted which is then used on the animal. The green liquid from the plant is mixed with water and is then applied to the animal's skin with a piece of cloth or a sponge. A little bit of soap can be added to the liquid to make it stick to the skin. Usually it is left on the animal for a week after which results appear. It is only effective against ticks that still have soft skin and are immature. This is a great practice for farmers that do not have access to veterinary medicine. Tephrosia can also be used as a fish poison, because chemicals in the plant react to chemicals in the fish and stupefy them so they can be easily caught.
Tephrosia arenicola · White hoarypea · Scurf hoarypea · Tephrosia clementii · Tephrosia elongata · Florida hoarypea · Pink Tephrosia · Sprawling hoarypea · Sandhill Tippetoes · Tephrosia odorata · Multibloom hoarypea · Pondo Poison Pea
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tephrosia vogelii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
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.
