Description
Aeschynomene aspera is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is also known by the names sola, shola, sola pith plant, pith plant, laugauni, Bendu-chettu, ponguchedi or Netti. The low density wood of this plant is used to make hats known as pith helmets or sola topis.
It is native to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
It is an aquatic plant and is considered a minor weed of rice paddies across its range.
Germination Guide
🌍 Tropical and subtropical Asia including Indian subcontinent, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, extending to northern Australia
Moderate
Semi-aquatic perennial subshrub in Fabaceae family reaching 2-3 meters tall. Dormant seeds with hard seed coat require high soil moisture or flooded conditions (but not exceeding 2cm standing water) for germination. Prolific seeding weed in rice paddies across tropical Asia.
Germination
Germination time
Expect germination in
5 – 14 days
Temperature
Min 20°C
Ideal 25°C
Max 35°C
Substrate moisture
💧💧 High
Seed Pre-treatment
-
💧
Soaking — 24 hours
Soaking 12-24 hours in warm water after hot water treatment to improve germination and speed
-
🔨
Hot water scarification
Hard seed coat prevents easy germination; hot water treatment (nearly boiling water) followed by 12-24 hours soaking effective for breaking dormancy
-
📋
Additional notes
Hard seed coat requires pre-treatment; dehulled seed shows germination up to 90-95%; intact hulled seed shows only 5-10% germination; scarification via mechanical or thermal methods highly effective
Substrate & Container
Recommended substrate
loam, sandy loam, waterlogged moist soil
Growing Tips
Use dehulled seed for faster, higher germination (90-95%). Plant at pH 6.4-7.0. Avoid standing water deeper than 2cm which inhibits seedling establishment. Seed survives about 6 months in soil seed bank. Native to wetland margins, lagoons, swamps, rice paddies. Nitrogen-fixing legume valuable as green manure.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.