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Kudzu Seeds Trading

Calopogonium caeruleum (CC)

Calopogonium caeruleum (CC)

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Bulk & wholesale supply — pricing on request.

Calopogonium caeruleum (CC) is one of the most shade-tolerant tropical legume cover crops, suited to mature oil palm and rubber. It stays productive across 60 to 100% light transmission, tolerates acid soils to pH 4.0, and yields 3 to 7 t dry matter per hectare per year. Kudzu Seeds Trading supplies CC seed (germination-tested, ISPM 7 and BPI phytosanitary certification) for the Philippines and export.

PLANT CHARACTER
Perennial, twining legume, stems become woody with age. Rooting in nodes when in contact with moist soil.

Growth: Spreads via stolons under favorable conditions.

USES
Green manure, nitrogen fixation, weed suppression and erosion control under tree crops. Calopogonium caeruleum is one of the most shade-tolerant tropical legumes, staying productive across 60 to 100% light transmission and persisting under mature canopy where other covers thin out. In a Nigerian trial it gave the second-highest green-manure effect among 12 legumes tested, an equivalent of about 90 kg N/ha (Tropical Forages, CSIRO/CIAT). Often used as part of a multi-species cover crop mixture in oil palm and rubber plantations.

GROWTH HABIT
Tolerates heavy shade. Grows in soils with pH as low as 4.0. More drought tolerant but slower to establish than CM and PJ. May take 20 months to achieve a complete cover.

SEEDING RATE
Pure stand: 3-4.5 kg/ha; in a legume mixture: 1-1.5 kg/ha

PLANTING METHOD
Drill or plants in holes

DRY MATTER PRODUCTION
3-7 t/ha/year

NO. OF SEEDS/KG
14,500 to 14,700 seeds

Research-backed performance
Peer-reviewed evidence

By the numbers

Species performance data from Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT) and tropical plantation research.

3-7
t dry matter per hectare per year
Among the most productive herbaceous legumes; leaf fall alone can reach 7 t DM/ha/year.
Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT), Calopogonium caeruleum
~90
kg/ha nitrogen equivalent
Second-highest green-manure effect among 12 legumes tested in a Nigerian field trial.
Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT), Calopogonium caeruleum
60-100%
Light transmission, stays productive
One of the most shade-tolerant tropical legumes; persists under mature plantation canopy.
Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT), Calopogonium caeruleum
pH 4.0
Acid-soil tolerance
Grows on soils with pH as low as 4.0 and persists on rainfall down to 700 mm.
Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT), Calopogonium caeruleum

Performance data sourced from Tropical Forages (CSIRO/CIAT). View the Calopogonium caeruleum factsheet →

SUPPLIER
Supplied by Kudzu Seeds Trading, the Philippines-based sister company of Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. All seeds are tested for germination before shipment and exported with phytosanitary certification (ISPM 7 compliant, Philippine NPPO / Bureau of Plant Industry).

GLOBAL AVAILABILITY
Available for export to tropical regions worldwide, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Contact us for bulk pricing and export documentation.

Related Resources

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Last reviewed June 2026 by Kudzu Seeds Trading.

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Performance Data

By The Numbers

60-75% Germination Rate
~90 kg N/ha/yr Fixed
up to 20 months Full Ground Cover
3-4.5 kg/ha Seeding Rate
High Shade Tolerance

Data based on testing to ISTA and AOSA methods, MPOB and DA Philippines field references, and peer-reviewed tropical agriculture research.

Is this right for your site?

Where this fits

A shade-persistent legume that holds cover as the canopy closes in.

Well suited for

  • Long-term mixtures under a maturing canopy (high shade tolerance)
  • Complementing PJ and CP for persistence
  • Holding cover where faster species thin out under shade

Less suitable for

  • Rapid early cover (slower to establish)
  • Sole quick-cover use on open ground
  • High-light monoculture where faster species do better

Not sure it fits your conditions? Send your crop, area, and site details and our team will advise on suitability before you order.

Documents available

Technical Data Sheet (TDS), Certificate of Analysis (COA) with germination data, and phytosanitary certification (ISPM 7 compliant) for export are available on request.

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Limitations and site considerations

Field results depend on crop system, soil, rainfall, planting method, seed quality, storage, timing, and post-establishment management. Adjust recommendations to local conditions, and contact us before ordering if you are unsure about crop fit, application rate, or site suitability.

What to include in your inquiry

  • Country and delivery location
  • Main crop or plantation type
  • Total area in hectares
  • Estimated quantity and timeline
  • Buyer type: plantation, distributor, government, or smallholder

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