Common Name:

General Information

Handroanthus chrysanthus is a deciduous tree growing up to 30 metres tall
The tree yields a good quality timber. A showy and rather handsome plant, blooming when devoid of leaves[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; north through Central America to Mexico.

Habitat

Moist or rather dry forest, often on open hillside, sometimes on limestone, at elevations up to 750 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly moist areas in the lowland tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 750 metres[].
Plants are tolerant of salt-laden winds[].
This species is closely related to Handroanthus guyacan[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is brown, hard, heavy, strong, durable, and finishes smoothly[]. It is used for making tool handles and
for general construction[].

Most species of Handroanthus, almost certainly including this one, produce a very hard, heavy and durable timber known as Ipe. The general description of Ipe wood is as follows:-
The heartwood is yellowish brown to dark olive brown, sometimes with thin veins; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 9cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is usually fine, though it is medium in some species; the grain is interlocked; there are canals in the wood containing a greenish-yellow deposit of lapachol. The wood is very heavy; very hard; elastic; it is very durable, even in contact with the soil, resisting fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons slowly, but with only a low risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. The wood has a fairly high blunting effect - stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; there can be some difficulties due to the interlocked grain; filling is recommended in order to get a good finish; nailing and screwing are good , but require pre-boring; gluing is correct for internal use only, and needs to be done with care because the wood is so dense. A very durable and strong wood, it has a very wide range of uses, especially for outdoor applications. It is used for making high class furniture, cabinet work, heavy construction, railway sleepers, bridges, hydraulic works, industrial flooring, posts and poles, turnery, musical instruments, tool handles, veneer etc[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood[].
Air layering[].

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