Common Name:

General Information

Ocotea cymosa is an evergreen tree usually growing 20 - 25 metres tall. The bole is not always straight; it can be unbranched for up to 16 metres; around 80cm in diameter and with buttresses up to 1.5 metres tall[, ].
The tree yields a high quality timber and so is commonly harvested from the wild for local use and also for trade.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - eastern Madagascar.

Habitat

Forests and coastal sands at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Although generally thought of as needing moderate amounts of sun, trials have shown that it is extremely shade tolerant[].

Edible Uses

The leaves, bark and fruits are aromatic; the leaves and fruits are used as condiment, the bark is added to locally prepared alcoholic drinks[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is pale brown; it is usually indistinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is usually interlocked, texture medium. The wood is moderately lightweight, it is often attacked by pinhole borers, but is moderately resistant to fungi, dry-wood borers, termites and marine borers. It is easy to saw and work with both hand and machine tools; sanding is sometimes needed for good results in planing operations; it is fairly easy to glue, paint and varnish; it nails well, with good nail-holding capacity. The peeling and slicing properties are good. The moulding properties are satisfactory and the wood is suitable for carving. It is resistant to impregnation by preservatives[]. Freshly sawn wood has an unpleasant smell[]. The wood of this species, and several other Ocotea species from Madagascar, is known as 'Varongy. It is in high demand for furniture, cabinet making, boat construction and mortars, but is also valued for construction, joinery, vehicle bodies, interior trim and pattern making. It is suitable for mine props, ship building, toys, novelties, boxes, crates, carvings, turnery, veneer and plywood. It is less suitable for flooring because it is too soft[].

Propagation

Seed -

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