Gustavia superba
(Kunth) O.Berg
Lecythidaceae
Gustavia insignis Hook.
Pirigara superba Kunth
Common Name: Membrillo
Base of multi-stemmed tree growing at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL USA
Photograph by: David Stang
Base of multi-stemmed tree growing at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL USA
Photograph by: David Stang
Flower, buds and very young seedpods
Photograph by: Meneerke bloem
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Flower and leaves
Photograph by: Meneerke bloem
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Flowers
Photograph by: Meneerke bloem
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Close-up of the fruit
Photograph by: Roger Culos
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Gustavia superba is a small evergreen tree growing up to about 20 metres tall. The bole can be around 35cm in diameter[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild and used locally. The tree is often cultivated for its large, showy and fragrant waxy flowers whilst, in contrast, it also harbours a repulsive odour - its cut wood has an overwhelmingly foetid odour[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Northern S. America - Colombia north to Costa Rica.
Habitat
Humid woodlands and rainforest, often in swampy soils[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
]. Found on gently sloping, sunny hills[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Medium |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant for the humid, lowland tropics, where it is mainly found at elevations below 600 metres, though also extends to over 1,000 metres. It is intolerant of temperatures lower than 5°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Prefers a moist, rich, slightly acid soil in light shade[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
].
Edible Uses
The pulp of the fruit is rich in vitamin A[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
]. It is considered a delicacy in Colombia[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
]. The orange-coloured globose fruit is up to 9 x 10cm[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The heartwood is reddish brown; the thick sapwood nearly white with darker or nearly black streaks[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The wood is straight and fine-grained, hard, heavy, strong and tough. It splits and works rather easily; takes an excellent polish[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used, to a limited extent, for construction[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
