Common Name:

General Information

Clusia hilariana is an evergreen tree with an open, spreading crown; it can grow 4 - 8 metres tall. The crooked bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter with adventitious roots[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. A very ornamental plant, it can be used in general landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern and northeastern Brazil.

Habitat

Coastal rainforest on sandy soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Plants are always found in very sandy soils in the wild[].
Young plants have a fast rate of growth[].
This species is unique in that it belongs to the only genus of plants capable of absorbing carbon dioxide during the night[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The fruit is a globose capsule around 5cm in diameter containing several seeds surrounded by an orange-red edible aril[, ].

Medicinal

A gum obtained from the plant is drastic and vulnerary[].

The bark is astringent, it is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

The wood is coarse-textured, irregular-grained, heavy, with a good resistance to wood-eating organisms, It is generally too small to be used for anything other than as a fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of virtually 100% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 15 - 20 days[].

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