Common Name:

General Information

Ocotea elegans is an evergreen tree with a dense, low, globose crown; it can grow 4 - 8 metres tall. The short bole can be 30 - 40cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - southern and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Semideciduous forests at moderate to higher elevations, found mainly in the more open, secondary growth and also as a solitary tree in pastures, favouring gentle slopes with well-drained, sandy soils of lower fertility[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Found in the wild in sandy, well-drained soils of low fertility[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
The plant is slow-growing, even when young[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is medium-textured, cross-grained, moderately heavy, hard to cut, with moderate mechanical properties and quite durable if kept dry. The wood has the scent of sassafras. It can be used in general construction for purposes such as scantlings, beams, laths, boards for walls and door jambs; for making furniture; window and door frames; crates and fence posts[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 70 - 80 days[].

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