Common Name:

General Information

Diospyros philippinensis is an evergreen tree that can grow from 18 - 33 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 80cm in diameter[].
The tree has been a commercial source of black ebony and has been overexploited to the point that the tree has become rare in the wild.
Exploitation of the tree has caused the species to become rare; very little lowland forest remains. Records of Philippine ebony are often from forest fragments smaller than 50 km². Despite a ban on log exports which came into force in 1989, there have been reports of an illegal trade. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Primary lowlnd forest, at elevations up to 200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	0.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A slow-growing tree[].
We have seen no individual confirmation for this species, but in general Diospyros species are dioecious and require both male and female forms to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

The fruits are often borne in pairs, very close together on opposite sides of a branch. A strong, unpleasant, cheese-like odour is given off by the whole fruit. It is moist but not very juicy, more or less sweet flavored. There may be 4 - 8 brown, smooth, wedge-shaped seeds, about 40mm long and 25mm wide, standing in a circle around the central core, though the fruits are often completely seedless[].
The above report does not specifically say that the fruit is edible, though the fruits of many species can be eaten (and some are delicious) as long as they are fully ripe; prior to that they are very rich in tannins and strongly astringent[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is black with light streaks of yellowish brown; it is clearly demarcated from the sapwood, which has a distinct yellowish tint, becoming light yellowish brown in drying. The heartwood is a good commercial variegated ebony[].

We do not have any more specific information for the wood of this species. However, though varying widely in the relative proportion and the colouring of sapwood and heartwood, all the woods of the genus Diospyros are practically indistinguishable as regards their structure, as described below:-[]
Whether or not a given species produces heartwood depends largely on the size the tree has attained, but evidently also on other conditions, as there is a wide variation in the relative amounts of sapwood and heartwood even in individuals of the same species. When produced, the heartwood can be black with rosy, yellowish, brownish, or ashy streaks, sometimes nearly or quite black; it is generally sharply demarcated from the thin to very wide band of whitish, yellowish, or red sapwood. The texture is fine, smooth and (especially in the heartwood) very dense; the grain is generally very straight. The wood is hard to very hard; heavy to very heavy; the sapwood is tough and flexible whilst the heartwood is brittle; the heartwood is very durable, the sapwood moderately so. It is difficult to season well, logs almost invariably checking in several directions from the heart outward, while sawn lumber must be stacked carefully and weighted to prevent warping; once thoroughly dried, however, it becomes very stable. Its density makes it difficult to work, but it takes a beautiful surface under sharp tools[].
Small trees containing little or no heartwood are used locally for posts, beams, joists, rafters, window sills, parts of agricultural implements, etc.; also, in lumbering, small poles are used for skids on account of their hardness, toughness and smooth wearing qualities. The heartwood (or sometimes sap and heart together) is used for scabbards, canes, hilts, tool handles, gunstocks, saw frames, etc.; it is a favorite for musical instruments, especially finger boards and keys of guitars; furniture, cabinetwork, inlaying; paper weights, inkstands and similar desk supplies; the sapwood, which is almost as hard as the heartwood and very much tougher, is an excellent material for T-squares and other drawing instruments, for shuttles, bobbins, spindles, golf-club heads and shafts, axe, pick, and hammer handles, etc[].

Propagation

Seed - in general the seed of Diospyros species has a very short viability and so should be sown as soon as possible. The flesh should be removed since this contains germination inhibitors. Sow the seed in a shady position in a nursery seedbed. The sowing media for ebony uses soil and fine sand at the ratio 3:1. The seed is planted horizontally or vertically with the radicle end down, with a sowing depth of 1 - 1½ times the thickness of seed. Distance between the seeds is 3 - 5cm. Seeds are very sensitive to desiccation during germination and early growth, so must be regularly watered at this time. Normally the seed will germinate after one week[].
As a rule fresh seeds have a high percentage of fertility. The seedlings develop long taproots at an early stage, often before any appreciable elongation of the shoot takes place. The growth of the seedling is decidedly slow [].

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