Leucaena leucocephala

Almost all Pinghu archipelagos have traces of Leucaena leucocephala. Chimei has the biggest distribution density. The import of Leucaena leucocephala was in Japanese occupied period. The purpose to bring in Penghu was to provide residents with the materials to make fire. Its characteristic was just good to adapt to Penghu’s climate. In summer, it is totally green. When winter comes, the leaves fall down and only trunks left. Therefore, the residents use sickles to slash the trunks down, drag them back and pile them up by the houses after dry them up to fulfill the need of firing materials for a whole year.

Leucaena leucocephala is Chimei’s No.1 plant. The density is so big that, taking East and West Lake Villages as examples, the hills along South and North sides are almost covered by Leucaena leucocephala. In summer, the places are totally a green field, making it difficult for even a single step, and bring the trouble of many caterpillars. Under the blow of strong Northeast monsoon and salt damage, all leaves fall down, only trunks left and it becomes a light brown color scene in winter. Seeds are spread by the blowing of northeast monsoon, falling down everywhere and making the northeast monsoon the best planter. As soon as spring comes, there will be a group of new seedling propagated. Things like this happen over and over again. Moreover, wastelands increased with the popularization of using gas and the increasing outflow of the residents, making a faster speed and bigger measures of the reproduction of Leucaena leucocephala.

Leucaena leucocephala only plays a product of old times using for making fire and is seldom used nowadays. It can add some green lands to Chimei, however, it also brings troubles to the residents such as competing with residents for lands, having caterpillars during summers.