Common Name:

General Information

Coccoloba mollis is a deciduous tree with an irregular, sparse crown; it can grow 4 - 12 metres tall. The usually crooked bole can be 15 - 25cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. An excellent pioneer species for restoring native woodland, it can also be used to establish woodland gardens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica

Habitat

Open areas of semideciduous forests, savannah woodland and savannah, favouring sandy, well-drained soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[]. Prefers a sandy, well-drained soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
Young plants have a fast rate of growth[].
The plant sprouts from the base after being burnt or cut down, producing a multi-trunked tree[].
Young branches are hollow and form a nesting place for ants[].

Edible Uses

The fruit has a thin layer of sweetish, fleshy pulp[]. This report does not specifically say that the fruit is edible, but it is likely to be so, especially as the fruits of some other members of the genus are commonly eaten[]. The fruit is a globose drupe around 10mm in diameter with a single, fairly large seed[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root and stem bark is used as a treatment for gonorrhoea and leucorrhoea[].

The leaves are astringent. A decoction is used in a bath to treat bleeding haemorrhoids[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing plant, succeeding in full sun and providing food for the native fauna, it is an excellent plant to use in reforestation schemes for restoring native woodland, and also as a pioneer for establishing a woodland garden[].

Other Uses

The wood is medium-textured, straight-grained, heavy, soft to cut, with poor mechanical properties and very susceptible to rot. It is used locally in rural constructions, rustic furniture, boards etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate in excess of 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within a few days[]. When the seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 4 - 5 months later[].

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