Common Name:

General Information

Enterolobium schomburgkii is a deciduous tree with a low, wide, dense, roundish crown; it can grow 10 - 36 metres tall. The more or less straight, cylindrical bole can be 60 - 200cm in diameter[, ].
The tree yields a good quality timber and so is widely exploited from the wild for local use and export.
Common and widespread in Central America and northern South America, it is not considered to be threatened or in decline The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

Some people are allergic to the dust produced when working with the wood[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Guyana, Surinam; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, southern Mexico.

Habitat

A subcanopy to canopy tree in rainforests, mainly in dense, primary formations in areas not subject to seasonal inundation, favouring well-drained, fertile, sandy soils that are rich in organic matter[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to fairly dense shade[]. Grows best in a fertile, well-drained, sandy soil that is rich in organic matter[, ].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is light yellowish brown, sometimes with darker streaks; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 5cm wide band of deep cream coloured sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked, sometimes wavy, lustre is low to medium, there is no odour or taste. The wood is heavy; moderately hard to hard; elastic; moderately durable, being very resistant to attack by both white rot and brown-rot fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons somewhat slowly with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately to poorly stable in service. The wood is somewhat hard to cut, power tools are generally required; raised grain occurs when planing in the presence of interlocked grain; nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct for internal purposes. It is used for decorative laminas, furniture, cabinet making, flooring blocks and boards, door jambs, agricultural implements, tool handles, cart bodies, frames, boat building, beams, scantlings, laths etc[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the treated seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A high germination rate can be expected from treated seeds, with the seed sprouting within 10 - 15 days[].

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