Common Name: Anacahuita

General Information

Cordia boissieri is a small, slow-growing, evergreen shrub or a tree with a round crown that can reach 8 metres in height[]. The bole can be 20cm in diameter[].
The tree is mainly harvested from the wild for its use in traditional medicine[]. It is cultivated in Cuba as a medicinal plant and is often planted for ornament, being very handsome when covered with flowers[, ].
Cordia boissieri has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major
threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southwestern N. America - southwestern Texas to western and central Mexico.

Habitat

A frequent element in submontane scrub, tropical deciduous forest, in the secondary vegetation derived from them an alsod in riparian vegetation; at elevations from 700 - 1,850 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in warm temperate to tropical areas. The plant can tolerate temperatures down to about -6°c, though it will be defoliated by anything more than a mild frost[].
Prefers a moist but well-drained soil and a position in full sun[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
All parts of the plant are aromatic[].
Plants can flower all year round in the warmer parts of its range[, ].
A surface-rooting plant[].

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten by local people, but if eaten raw it said to cause dizziness as if one were intoxicated[]. It is also used to make a syrup[].The reddish-brown ovoid fruit is about 2.5 - 3 cm long with a sweet flesh[].

Medicinal

A jelly made from the fruits is much used locally in the treatment of coughs and colds[, ].

A decoction of the leaves is a popular domestic remedy for rheumatism and is generally employed in the treatment of bronchial affections[, , ].

The roots are emollient[].

About the year I860, the wood attracted some attention in Germany as a possible remedy for tuberculosis[]. Quantities of it were exported from Tampico. Analysis, however, showed that it did not possess important medicinal properties, and experience proved that no good results followed its use, consequently It was not long employed[].

Other Uses

A dye is obtained from the plant[]. No more details.

The heartwood is dark brown, the sapwood light brown. The wood is light in weight, rather soft and close-grained[, ]. Of little value, but yokes and other articles are made from it[].

Propagation

Seed - very slow to germinate, the process can be sped up if the seed is scarified by lightly abrading the seedcoat to allow easier ingress of water[].
Cuttings.
Air layering.

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