Common Name:

General Information

Guazuma crinita is a semideciduous tree with a narrow, elongate or pyramidal crown; it can grow 7 - 18 metres tall in Brazil, but can exceed 30 metres in Bolivia and Peru. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 30 - 50cm in diameter[].
The tree is often harvested from the wild for its timber, which is used locally and also exported. It is used as an indicator of fertile soils and can also be used as a pioneer when restoring native woodland or establishing a woodland garden. An ornamental plant, it can be used in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador.

Habitat

Atlantic rainforest, growing in the more open and secondary growth areas, favouring fertile, well-drained, sandy soils[]. Lowland areas in Peru at elevations up to 150 metres; usually in old clearings or along margins of forests[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a fertile, well-drained, sandy soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast-growing plant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant, when growing wild, is seen as an indicator of fertile soils[].
The tree is fast-growing and succeeds in full sun, it can be used as a pioneer to restore native woodland and can also be used when establishing a woodland garden[, ].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a dull medium brown; it is fairly well demarcated from the sapwood, which is creamy yellow or pale pinkish brown with irregular dark brown gum striping. The wood is rather coarse- textured; straight-grained, of medium lustre; with no distinctive odour or taste. It is light to fairly light in weight; hard; firm and strong; not very durable. It saws slightly woolly; is easy to cut and work; takes a lustrous finish[, ]. It is used in construction, decorative veneer and for making toys, broom handles, sugar boxes and crates[, ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of less than 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 35 days[]. When the seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 4 - 5 months later[].

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