Sengon Trees (Paraserianthes falcataria): Cultivation, Type, and Profit

Sengon trees (Paraserianthes falcataria) is one of multipurpose tree species pioneer in Indonesia. The wood from this tree will be an excellent material for industries (especially for panels and plywood industries) due to good growth rates and can live in a variety of soil conditions.

Once the supply of timber from natural forests began to decline, timber from Sengon trees is still constant for industries necessary.

The demand for this product each year is more than 500,000 m³ in Indonesia. The demand for this product is high because the demand comes from furniture industries (in Indonesia and other country), pulp and paper industries, shipping industries, and the others. Recently, this product has been growing rapidly in several Indonesia’s island, actually in Sumatera, Java, Bali, Flores, and Maluku islands.

1. Sengon Tree Description

1.1 Taxonomy

Criteria	Information
Scientific name	Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) Nielsen
Family	Fabaceae
Sub-family	Mimosoideae
Other name	Jeunjing, Albasia, Albusiah, Machian Wood

1.2 Morphology

Sengon trees can grow up to 40 m with branches ranging from a height of 20 m. This tree can grow to a diameter of 100 cm and sometimes even more than that. This canopy type of tree resembles an umbrella-shaped dome and has a white, ash, or greenish bark.

The flower arrangement of this species is ancillary and includes a bisexual flower with a normal length of 12 mm on each of these flowered crowns.

1.3 Distribution

The Sengon tree is a native species from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, and Australia. This tree is actually spread naturally just around the eastern part of Indonesia, such as South Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. Sengon is currently highly favored by countries in tropical regions, such as Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Fiji, Polynesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Tonga, USA, and Vietnam.

1.4 The Place to Grow

Sengon can grow in various soil types. This tree should not be able to grow on fertile soils, but it can also grow in dry soil, moist soil, and even salt soil until it is acidic as long as it has a good drainage level can grow. Sengon planting in Java Island based on research can be done on various types of soil, but not on soil type grumusols. In the latosol, andosol, aluvial, and red-yellow podzolic lands, this tree can grow very well that produces a strong and robust tree.

In its natural habitat, annual rainfall that occurs between 2,000 mm to 2,700 mm, can even reach 4,000 mm with the dry season more than four months. This tree has a very high evapotranspiration rate that requires a wet climate with annual rainfall 2,000 – 3,500 mm in order to grow optimally. Rainfall of less than 2000 mm per year will cause a dry condition and if rainfall more than 3500 mm per year will cause high humidity so it is very susceptible to infection from the fungus.

The height of the habitat where the Sengon tree grows is 1,600 m above sea level, but it can also grow to an altitude of 3,300 above sea level. Based on research conducted by Politeknik Pertanian Kupang, Indonesia, this tree can grow at low altitude and rocky but have very low growth rate.

1.5 Wood Characteristics

Sengon wood has a light weight and has a fine texture until quite smooth. The color of sapwood is white to pink-brown or bright yellow to brownish red. The wood weight is between 230 to 500 kg/ m³ at 12 - 15% moisture content. 

This Sengon wood when direct contact with the soil can last between 0.5 - 2.1 years, but if treated with a particular treatment Sengon wood directly in contact with the soil can last up to 15 years in tropical climatic conditions.

1.6 Usage

In West Java, where the growth of Sengon tree is very optimal, this wood is used for pulp and paper industry, plywood, and furniture. Wood is also very suitable for lightweight construction, such as panels, furniture, and interior design needs. This wood is excellent for industrial materials of veneer and plywood (plywood) and is particularly suitable for low to medium density particle board.

As a species that can bind nitrogen, Sengon trees are widely grown for reforestation activities. This tree is also widely grown in agroforestry in a community forest that combines agricultural crops such as corn, cassava, and fruit crops.

1.7 Price of Sengon Timber

Sengon wood selling price, when compared with acacia wood, Meranti, Trembesi, or Teak is of course lower. However, the price of Sengon wood is higher when compared with Pulai and Jabon wood which have properties similar to Sengon.

Sengon wood selling price in the factory in the form of log pieces is divided into two types, first one has a length of 105 cm and the other 205 cm.

Price log of Sengon wood with length 105 cm:

1. Diameter 19cm - 24cm worth 900,000 - 1,000,000 IDR
2. Diamater above 25cm worth 1,100,000 -  1,300,000 IDR

Price log of Sengon wood with length 205 cm:

1. Diameter 25cm - 29cm price range 1,200,000 IDR
2. Diameter 30cm - 39cm valuable range 1,300,000 IDR
3. Diameter 40cm -49cm worth of range 1400,000 IDR
4. Diameter more than 50cm valuable starting from 1,500,000 IDR

Unfortunately for the price of Sengon wood, the price is uncertain, depending on the agreement of the tree owner and the buyer. Unlike the case with Sengon people forest owners who have been related to a particular sawmill, prices usually tend to be stable and follow market prices.

2. Seed Production

2.1 Gathering the Seeds

Sengon trees start flowering approximately after three years since planting. The flowering and fruiting period depends on the geographical condition of the planting location. Based on the Djogo (1997) study, the Sengon tree flowering period in Indonesia is from October to January and the best seed gathering time between July and August.

The skin of the seeds will peel when it is ripe, often when it is still above the tree or already spread on the surface of the soil. Seeds can be gathered on the tree directly when the color changes from green to yellowish. In healthy Sengon plants aged five to eight years, this tree can produce 12,000 seeds viable per one hectare. Sengon seed weight per thousand seeds approaching 16 - 26 grams.

2.2 Seed preparation

Seeds that have been gathered should be processed as soon as possible. Seeds can be dried and then peeled manually by hand. Damaged seeds can be known by immersion, damaged, or empty seeds will float on water by itself. It is estimated that about 38,000 - 44,000 clean seeds per kilogram.

2.3 Seed Storage

The seeds can be dried easily until the water content in the seed reaches 8 - 10%. The dried seed can be stored for a period of up to 1.5 years at a temperature of 4 - 8 ° C. For storage in a long time, save the seeds of Sengon by using seals then stored in a cupboard with a temperature of 3-5°C.

Before sowing the seeds, the seeds must be boiled in water for 1-3 minutes or buried in a sulfuric acid concentrate for 10-15 minutes followed by seed washing and then soaked in cold water to accelerate germination.

3. Breeding and Planting

3.1 Sowing Seeds

Sengon seed sowing is usually on a sow bed. Before seed sowing, make sure that the soil will not lose excess water to keep the soil moist. Germination usually occurs on days 5-10, but if seeds are not treated or not normal then new seeds will germinate after 4 weeks.

3.2 Preparing Planting

Sengon trees are commonly grown using seedlings from nurseries or by stumps. In a seedling nursery, seedlings are usually allowed to continue to grow in the nursery seed until the seedlings aged 2- 2.5 months. This seedling can be removed from the bedside when it reaches a height of 20 - 25 cm with a wooden stick and a good root system. For stump, recommended height 5-20 cm and diameter 0,5 - 2,5 cm with root length reach 20 cm.

3.3 Planting

Sengon seedlings should be planted at the beginning of the rainy season. Once planted, all weeds and pests at the planting site should be cleaned up so that the seedlings can grow well without any competition.

Spacing commonly used is ranging from 2 × 2 m to 6 × 6 m. The size of the spacing depends on the management objectives. The usual planting distance for pulpwood production is 3 × 3 m, and 6 × 6 m for timber production.

4. Plant Maintenance

4.1 Weeding

The Sengon tree must be sown for about two years. The first weeding after planting must be done after 2 months, then for further weeding must be done at intervals of 3 months.

4.2 Fertilization

To increase the Sengon tree’s growth, fertilization is needed by using NPK fertilizer (14:14:14) on each seedling. This fertilization can be done at the time of planting or immediately after planting. Fertilization is done on the planting hole or on the soil around the seedlings. Usually, fertilization is done again after 5 years after planting.

4.3 Embroidery

Embroidering is highly recommended in the development of Sengon plantations. Dead seedlings should be replaced immediately with new seedlings in the first year after planting.

4.4 Pruning

Pruning objective is to get high-quality straight wood. Pruning is done after 6 months after planting and then done again in the next 6 months for 2 full years.

4.5 Thinning

The purpose of thinning is to increase the growth of Sengon trees. The forbidden tree is a tree affected by pests or diseases, has an ugly shape, and a depressed tree. Usually thinning begins at 2 years after thinning and then done every year until the maximum in the 10th year.

5. Growth and Yield

5.1 Growth Rate

Sengon trees can grow rapidly. Under suitable conditions, the tree can reach a height of 7 meters in a year, 16 meters in three years, and 33 meters in a period of 9 years. Based on research from Kurinobu et al. (2007), the large diameter of Sengon trees aged 3-5 years has an average diameter of 11.3 - 18.7 cm (maximum diameter 25.8 cm) with an average height of 11.7 - 20.5 m (maximum 23.5 m).

Based on research from Sumarna (1961), the average annual high growth of Sengon for 5 years is approaching 5m, then at age 8-9 only increases 1 - 1.5 m, and at age 10 grows only 1m / year.

5.2 Productivity

The Sengon tree is a tree that belongs to the Fast Growing Tree Species and has a fairly high volume yield. Under conditions that strongly support the annual volume increase can reach 67 m3/ ha/ year.

5.3 Rotation

For pulp production, harvesting rotation can be done within 8 years. For timber production, harvesting can be done at the age of 12-15 years. Sengon wood harvesting in the People's Forest using agroforestry system, rotation can be done 10-15 years.

Source: foresteract.com

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