Common Name: Ipê Tabaco

General Information

Handroanthus chrysotrichus is a deciduous tree with a rounded crown usually growing up to 10 metres tall[]. The bole can be 30 - 40cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its good quality wood and for local medicinal uses. It is also often grown as an ornamental and street tree, being valued for its floral display and also particularly useful for planting in narrow streets and under electric cables[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, southern and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Open areas in rainforests, often near the coast, most commonly found in areas of secondary growth in well-drained and sandy soils on hillsides; at elevations from near sea level to 1,000 metres[, , ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[].
Freshly planted young trees grow away reasonably well[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is used as a treatment against syphilis[].

We have no further specific information for this species, but the inner bark of the various Handroanthus species has been shown to contain several pharmacologically active compounds. In particular, the bark has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties and several species are used to treat skin disorders, fungal infections, wounds etc, as well as a various inflammatory diseases, cancer etc[, ].
The bark contains the naphthoquinones lapachol and beta-lapachone. These compounds have a range of medicinal activities, including antitumor activity, but when isolated from the whole bark and used in the quantities required to treat conditions such as cancer, they have also shown unacceptable levels of toxicity towards the body.

Other Uses

The wood is heavy, with good mechanical properties, of high natural durability even under adverse circumstances[]. Easy to saw, it is used for outdoor purposes such as posts, poles, bridges etc and for indoor purposes such as parquet and flooring boards, skirting frames etc[].

Most species of Handroanthus, almost certainly including this one, produce a very hard, heavy and durable timber known collectively as 'Ipê' and widely traded under that name. Most Ipê wood comes from this genus (Handroanthus), though some also comes from the genera Tabebuia and Roseodendron. The general description of Ipê wood, when produced from Handroanthus species 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 lighter-coloured 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 the naphthoquinon '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. Ipê is a very durable and strong wood that 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, decking, posts and poles, turnery, musical instruments, tool handles, veneer etc[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a semi-shaded position in a nursery seedbed[]. Germination rates in excess of 60% can be expected, with the seeds sprouting in 8 - 14 days[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual containers when they are 5 - 6cm tall. Growth is fairly good and the plants should be ready for planting out in less than 5 months[].

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