Common Name:

General Information

Dendropanax arboreus is a fast-growing, evergreen, glabrous tree, rather sparsely branched, with a spreading, rounded crown; it can grow up to 20 metres tall, but is often only a shrub. The straight bole can be 30cm in diameter[, ].
The tree produces a useful timber and is commonly harvested from the wild. It is also harvested for local medicinal uses and is grown as a shade tree in coffee plantations.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad to Cuba.

Habitat

Moist or wet, usually mixed forest or thickets, often in second growth, sometimes in hedges, usually below 1,500 metres but very rarely at higher elevations[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of low to medium elevations in the tropics, it grows in regions where there is an average annual temperature of 26°c, with a maximum temperature of 36.7°c and a minimum of 14.9°c[]. Average annual precipitation is approximately 1,288mm, ranging from between 900 - 1,800mm[]. The tree grows naturally from sea level to 1,700 metres[].
The tree grows in calcareous soils with outcropping rocks in the wild[].
The tree begins to yield flowers and fruits between 4 and 5 years of age[]. It can then flower and fruit nearly all year round[].
A very variable tree, both in foliage and inflorescence[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

An infusion of the leaves is used as a remedy in traditional medicine[].

A decoction of the roots is used medicinally[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is frequently planted to provide shade in coffee plantations and to fulfil agroforestry needs[, ].

Other Uses

The heartwood is white or yellowish grey with dark streaks; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The texture is medium and uniform; grain is straight; lustre low to medium; seasoned wood is without distinctive odour or taste. The wood is moderately light in weight, moderately soft, strong, flexible but not durable, being very susceptible to attack by decay fungi and insects. It air-dries rapidly without developing degrade due to checking or warping. The wood is easy to work, but tends to develop fuzzy grain during planing; it is poor for turnery, but easy to cut into veneer. It is used locally for general carpentry, boxes and crates, interior construction, utility furniture etc[, , , ]. In recent years, the species has been in high demand for the manufacturing of veneer, particle boards, tongue depressors, toothpicks, matches, and pulp for paper[].
The wood is used for fuel[, ].

Propagation

Seed - under humid conditions, the fresh seeds germinate at 70% without pre-treatment. A heterogeneous sample of seeds germinated approximately 18 days after sowing[].
The ripe fruits are collected by climbing the trees and using poles with metal hooks to remove them[]. The pulp is
removed from the pulpy fruits by hand inside a bucket of water[]. Resulting impurities float and are gathered with a strainer. Good pyrenes sink[]. Subsequently, seeds are dried in the sun in ventilated areas for 1 or 2 hours, depending on lighting conditions. The seeds within the pyrenes remain viable for approximately 15 months when stored under ambient conditions[]. With longer storage their viability quickly diminishes[].

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