Common Name: Palo de Velas

General Information

Parmentiera cereifera is an evergreen tree with a spreading, open crown; branching from quite low on the trunk it grows around 7 metres tall with a bole up to 20cm in diameter. It produces bizarre-looking fruit - hanging from the branches these slim, waxy, yellow-ochre fruits look exactly like freshly-dipped candles hung out to dry[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is widely cultivated in the Americas and also in other tropical regions as a curiosity and an ornamental plant and also sometimes for its edible fruit[, ].
Parmentiera cereifera is under serious threat from logging in some areas[]. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(1998)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central America - Panama.

Habitat

Limestone formations[]. Humid limestone woodlands[]. Lowland evergreen forest[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	7.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Moths, Bats
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a well-drained but moist, fertile soil in a sunny position or light shade[, ].
This species has become invasive in northern Australia[].
Plants do not flower until they are quite large[].
The flowers open in the late afternoon and are pollinated mainly by bats[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The waxy, white to yellow, candle-shaped fruit can be 39 - 54cm long and 10 - 24mm wide[, ].

Medicinal

Both the bark and the roots have medicinal properties[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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