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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit
White leadtree

Leucaena leucocephala
Copyright by: George D. Gann

Family: Fabaceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Tree

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Central America (Acevedo-Rodriguez, 1996); cultivated and naturalized nearly throughout the tropics and subtropics worldwide.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Synonyms: L. glauca.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: First collected between 1838 and 1853 by John Loomis Blodgett on the island of Key West.  Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for hammocks from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.  We consider this to be non-native and naturalized throughout the Florida Keys.  Although most fequently observed in disturbed areas, especially roadsides, it can be invasive.

Other data on Leucaena leucocephala available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Leucaena leucocephala has been reported from the following 21 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Attwood Addition, Indian Key Historic State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Bahia Honda State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Not Native, Naturalized
Blue Heron Hammock, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Curry Hammock State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dove Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Lake San Pedro Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Klopp Tract Present Not Native, Naturalized
Little Hamaca Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Long Key State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
National Key Deer Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ramrod Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Snake Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Spoonbill Sound Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Sugarloaf Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Torchwood Hammock Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized




Leucaena leucocephala has been reported for the following 4 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Beach Dune
Disturbed Upland
Pine Rockland
Rockland Hammock


All Images:

Leucaena leucocephala
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Leucaena leucocephala
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer