Common Name: Brazilian Rose

General Information

Brazilian rose is a fast-growing small deciduous tree with an open, elongated crown of relatively few, stout branches; it can reach 15 metres in height[, ]. The slender bole is around 20 - 50cm in diameter[, ].
The plant is exploited locally from the wild for fibre, drinks, wood etc and is sometimes grown as an ornamental, particularly for the flowers that are produced at the end of the dry season [, ]. It is an excellent pioneer species for establishing woodland gardens or restoring native woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

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

Habitat

Arid, stony scrubland and savannahs[]. A sub-canopy tree of the dry, tropical forest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the drier areas of the tropics.
Requires a dry, well-drained soil and a sunny position[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[, ].

Edible Uses

A beer-like beverage, known locally as 'Chica', can be brewed from the juice of the plant[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Because the plant grows away very easily from large cuttings, it is often used as a living fence[]. A reasonable hedge can be formed by trimming the plants back regularly[].
The tree is an aggressive, pioneer species that takes hold quickly in disturbed habitats with lots of insolation. It grows quickly and is already producing flowers by its second year. Still, this tree can grow large in its native, dry-forest ecosystem, where it often reaches the canopy layer of vegetation[].

Other Uses

The seed floss is used as a stuffing material, it is often used in pillows where it is said to have the added advantage of helping to induce sleep[].

A fibre is obtained from the bark[]. Used for cordage[, , ].

A gum is obtained from the inner bark[].

The whitish to light brown wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, soft, spongy, very lightweight and perishable[, ]. It is little used, other than for pulp and making cheap boxes[, ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed[]. Germination rates are usually low, with the seed sprouting within 30 - 40 days[].
Cuttings of leafy shoots as new growth commences[]. Even large cuttings root successfully[, ].

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