Amyris balsamifera
L.
Rutaceae
Elemifera balsamifera (L.) Kuntze
Common Name: Balsam Torchwood
General Information
Balsam torchwood is an aromatic, evergreen shrub or small tree growing from 2 - 8 metres tall.
The tree is harvested from the wild for its essential oil. It has been cultivated for its oil and wood in several tropical countries outside its native range[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras; Caribbean - Puerto Rico to Cuba; N. America - Florida.
Habitat
Coastal hammocks in Florida[
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 4.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
Amyris oil, extracted from the wood by distillation, is used for medicinal purposes[
].
Other Uses
An essential oil is obtained from the wood[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Amyris oil, extracted from the wood by distillation, is used to make perfume and varnish[
].
The wood, or the essential oil, is used as an incense[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The wood is used for building purposes[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The wood is used for making furniture[
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
