What is the local name of Crotalaria juncea?
Crotalaria juncea, known as brown hemp, Indian hemp, Madras hemp, or Sunn hemp, is a tropical Asian plant of the legume family (Fabaceae). It is generally considered to have originated in India. Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) It is a perennial member of the Dogbane family, which has also been called Dogbane, Bitter Root, and Canadian Hemp. It grows 1 to 5 feet tall and has oblong leaves with short stalks.
Is crotalaria juncea poisonous?
Crotalaria species, particularly some species introduced to the United States such as C. C. Ritchey et al. Hooper and Scanlan, 1977; Williams and Molyneux, 1987) (Table 1). Toxins. The primary source of toxicity for many species of Crotalaria is the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are poisonous to birds and large mammals. Crotalaria retusa seeds are some of the most toxic of Crotalaria species. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey are a threat to human health.
Is crotalaria juncea easy to grow?
Sunn hemp is easy to grow in warm soils with a pH between 5 and 8. It is adaptable to any garden soil, but it does best in sandy soil. Because it fixes nitrogen, the plant thrives even in poor soils, as long as they are well drained. It is intolerant of standing water. Sunn Hemp Uses and Benefits Also, as a legume it can fix large amounts of nitrogen. Used as a cover crop, sunn hemp can improve soil properties, reduce soil erosion, conserve soil water, and recycle plant nutrients.