Forest Lilac, Gliricidia sepium, is easily grown from seed offered by the GreenDealer Exotic Seeds selection of Tropical Rainforest Plants, Trees, and Tropical Houseplants.

Forest Lilac, Gliricidia sepium, is a very pretty ornamental tree often used in the tropics to shade young cocoa plants. It produces pink flowers borne in a clustered form. The juice from the leaves has been used for centuries by native Indians as a home remedy to stop baldness. The fact is, I saw no bald Indians while visiting Costa Rica.

This ornamental tree is winter hardy in the tropical zones of 10 - 11, but is easily grown in containers indoors in northern climate zones if offered adequate light and warmth.

The specimen shown above was photographed in north-central Costa Rica, in June of 1999.