Common Name: Tar Pot

General Information

Tar pot is a slender-branched shrub or small tree, usually growing up to 9 meters tall[]. The plant is sometimes scrambling and forming thickets, it can grow both on the ground or as an epiphyte in trees[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for its gum[]. The plant is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Central America - Costa Rica north to Mexico and Jamaica.

Habitat

Moist or wet, mixed forest, mostly at lower elevations but extending to 1,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	7.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

This species is unique in that it belongs to the only genus of plants capable of absorbing carbon dioxide during the night[].

Edible Uses

The latex of this and other species is sometimes used to adulterate chicle for making chewing gum[].

Medicinal

A substance called 'hog gummi' is obtained from the stems[]. It is used for healing wounds[].

The yellow latex is placed on cotton which is applied to cavities in the teeth to relieve toothache[].

Other Uses

The bark is employed for making pails or similar containers for liquids[].

The wood is not used except possibly for fuel and fence posts[].
In this genus the heartwood is brownish, often with a tinge of pink, of medium lustre, rather light but firm to moderately heavy and hard; texture medium to coarse, straight-grained, easy to work; probably not very resistant to decay[].

Propagation

Seed -

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