There is still doubt about the correct name for this species, and there is a strong possibility that it will be transferred to the genus Pachira as Pachira quinata (Jacq.) W.S.Alverson[, ].

Common Name: Red Ceiba

General Information

Red ceiba is a tree with a rather wide, spreading crown of heavy branches; it can grow from 6 - 40 metres tall. The somewhat irregular bole is armed with hard, sharp prickles; it can be 15 - 180cm in diameter, and is often buttressed[, , ].
The tree is exploited commercially in the wild as a source of timber. The interest in and planting of red ceiba is restricted to its natural distribution. It was trialled in the Solomon Islands but did not show any promise as a plantation species[].
The tree is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List (2009) due to over exploitation and habitat loss[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua.

Habitat

Lowland wet forest[]. Dry to very dry, or wet tropical forests[]. Common in more open forests, mostly on well-drained, often gravelly soils on the upper slopes of low hills and ridges[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bats, Moths
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Red ceiba is found in the dry to wet tropical forests of northern S. America, where it succeeds at elevations from sea level to around 900 metres[]. It grows best where the mean annual temperature is in the range 21 - 27°c, and the mean annual rainfall is 800 - 3,000mm[]. It can thrive in areas with a 5 - 6 months dry season[].
Prefers a humus-rich loamy soil[]. It grows in a wide variety of situations, ranging from well-drained upland soils to imperfectly drained Vertisols, on low, flattened sites. Soil reactions at most locations are within pH 6 - 8[].
A fast-growing tree[].
Trees coppice readily[].
Trees are sometimes allowed to remain when clearing forest, in order to provide shelter for coffee plantations[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots are used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].

Agroforestry Uses:

In Costa Rica and Nicaragua the establishment of living fence rows from vegetative propagated stakes is common practice, with spacings ranging from 2 - 5 metres[].
The tree is sometimes used to provide shade in coffee plantations[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a uniform pale pinkish or pinkish-brown when freshly cut, becoming light to dark reddish-brown upon exposure; it is sharply demarcated from the pale grey to yellowish sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight to slightly interlocked; lustre is medium to high; odour is not distinct, but the taste is slightly astringent. The wood is very durable[], it contains a hygroscopic gum and the degree of insect attack is apparently related to gum content. It works easily with hand and machine tools; planes to a good surface and polishes satisfactorily; turns and carves well. Timber is corrosive to iron compounds[]. The wood is used for construction, furniture, doors, manufacturing, tanning vats, rum storage vats[]. It is suitable for plywood and veneer[, ].
The wood is occasionally used for fuel, but is not preferred[].

Propagation

Seeds do not require pregermination treatment and initiate root radicles within 8 days of sowing[].
Seed storage behaviour is orthodox; seeds tolerate desiccation to 7.2% mc with 90% germination; 77% germination is achieved after 1 year subsequent storage at 5c.[] Seeds lose viability rapidly if the capsules are collected too early, but seed collected from capsules harvested at full maturity keep well for at least 2 - 3 years[].

B. quinata is relatively easy to propagate vegetatively. Large diameter cuttings from semi-mature trees root well. They have been used successfully to establish clonal seed orchards in Colombia, Costa Rica and Venezuela. Best rooting is obtained from cuttings from shoots, which develop following felling of young trees, or from cuttings from stem material of young nursery stock. Sprouting is enhanced when trees are felled at the end of the dry season before leaf flush[].

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