Common Name:

General Information

Lonchocarpus muehlbergianus is a deciduous tree with an open, roundish crown; it can grow 15 - 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 40 - 50cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. Its presence in the wild is seen as an indicator of good soils and it can be grown as a pioneer when restoring native woodland. A very ornamental tree, especially when in bloom, it can be used in general landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia.

Habitat

Broadleaved semideciduous forests, favouring deep, fertile, moist soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. The plant grows best in a deep, moist, fertile soil[].
A fast-growing tree, able to reach a height of 3.5 metres within 2 years from seed[].
If cut down, this tree reproduces vigorously from the roots[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Where growing spontaneously, this species is seen as an indicator of good, deep, moist, fertile soils[].
A fast-growing tree, fixing atmospheric nitrogen, it can be used as a pioneer in reforestation and when establishing woodland gardens[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is yellow; the sapwood yellowish-white. The texture is medium; the grain straight to interlocked; lustre is faint to medium; there is no distinctive taste or aroma. The wood is moderately heavy; not very durable, being very susceptible to the attacks of wood-eating organisms. It is generally easy to work, though there can be some difficulties in sections with interlocked grain; finishing is good. The wood is used for parquet flooring, flooring boards, light carpentry, tool handles, boxes, devorative veneer etc[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers. A high germination rate can usually be expected from fresh seed, with the seed sprouting within 15 - 25 days[]. When the seedbed-sown seedlings are 4 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out less than 5 months later[].
The viability of the seed in storage is short[].

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