Common Name:

General Information

Licania tomentosa is an evergreen tree with a low, wide crown; it can grow 10 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 40 - 60cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and wood. It is widely cultivated as fruit crop in South America and South Africa[]. It is also grown as shade tree because of its low and very broad crown[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern and southern Brazil.

Habitat

Rainforests, in both dense primary and secondary formations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[].
Trees yield a large harvest of fruits each year[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. The fruit is an oblong, smooth, yellow drupe that can be 8cm long and 4cm wide. It contains a thick, succulent, fibrous pulp surrounding a single, large seed[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree provides an abundance of fruit for the native fauna and also grows quite quickly. It would be suitable for reforestation projects within its native range[].

Other Uses

The sapwood is almost indistinct from the heartwood. The wood is straight-grained with a medium to thick texture. It is heavy, hard, resistant and very durable[]. It is used for general construction, external work such as posts, railway ties, small boats, ship's keels etc[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Either the whole fruit, or the extracted seed may be sown, placing them in individual containers. Germination rates of 90% or more can be achieved when using fresh seed, with sprouting taking place within 10 - 20 days. Seedlings grow away quite quickly[].

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