Prosopis juliflora, it sounds pretty doesn't it? Juliflora, very idyllic indeed. It's also called Mathenge. But nature can be treacherous. In the Kenyan journal 'The Nation' appeared an appalling article about a wellmeaned trial going very wrong. In 1983 the FAO intrduced this plant in Kenia with the support of the gouvernment in order to stop the advance of the dessert. Quickly the desert had to retire itself (after a few years already). But there lurked big dangers: the seeds of the plant taste very sweet and the cows and goats liked to eat them, but after some time the delicacy damaged the gums of the animals and their teeth fell out.The thorns of the plant were toxic: limbs of some animals had to be amputated. The same happened to the people: amputated fingers and hands to stop proceeding infections. The plants has also the ability to destroy gardens and even houses. It nestles itself in the cracks of the walls and make them crumble until the hous is inhabitable.
It's also a pest in the water: fishermen have a lot of trouble to pass through the blockages by bunches of those plants. Floods occur more and more.Even for use as wood for fire it's still dangerous: it spreads a stinking, asphixing smoke.
