Common Name: Ipê Amarelo

General Information

Handroanthus cristatus is an emergent, deciduous tree with an oval crown; it can grow 15 - 40 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 40 - 50cm in diameter[, ].
The tree yields a good quality wood and so is often harvested from the wild. Very ornamental when in flower, it can be used in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

A canopy or subcanopy tree in the Atlantic rainforest, favouring dry, well-drained soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Found in the wild on well-drained, dry soils[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast-growing plant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

We have no 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 fine-textured, irregular-grained, heavy, hard to cut, highly resistant to wood-eating organisms. It can be used for finishing work in interior construction and also for external structures[].

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 partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate in excess of 50% can be expected if the seed is fresh, with the seed sprouting within 10 - 15 days[].
The seed has a short period of viability of less than 4 - 5 months in storage[].

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