Ancillary Plants

There’s teamwork on the field! Certain plants aid the growth and development of the main crop. These helping plants grow as groundcovers, hedges or support and shade trees. Their young sprouts, leaves and fruits are often edible or suitable as livestock feed.

A typical hedge, Pithecellobium dulce offers multifunctional wind and sun protection. The little tree belongs to the Leguminosae family. Its fruits are popular in Mexico, India and Sudan, and the leaves deliver good livestock nutrition.

Clitoria ternatea is an ornamental plant and simultaneously a fast-growing vine or creeper. Its extraordinary blue flowers are used to colour Southeast Asian rice dishes, and the herb serves as fresh feed, hay or green manure.

Look closely: Do groundcovers stand out in any other departments? They protect the precious soil from erosion by water and wind.