Common Name: False Elder

General Information

False elder is an evergreen or deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized tree with an ovoid crown that can grow up to 20 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 30 metres tall[]. The bole is straight or slightly flexuous, usually with small buttresses, branchless for up to 9 - 15 metres and up to 70 cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild and used locally as a timber and for medicinal purposes[]. It is also cultivated as a hedge plant and used in reforestation schemes[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Habitat

Common in secondary forest, forest clearings, river banks, along roads and railways, and in open country[]. It does not occur in primary forest and it grows best in moist to wet sites, even if they are flooded seasonally[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations from sea-level up to 600, occasionally 900 metres[].
Plants do not withstand very dry conditions well[].
First flowering occurs at an age of approximately 5 years when trees are about 5 metres high[].
The plant is unsuitable for planting in mixtures with other species, but it may be used as first cover for the planting of dipterocarp species[].
Planting distance in Indonesia is usually 3 x 1 metres, but spacings of 3 x 2 metres and 4 x 2 metres are also used[]. In plantations the canopy closes after about 8 years[].
Self-pruning does not occur sufficiently. Artificial pruning is necessary - wounds caused by artificial pruning heal fast and seldom cause rot[].
The root system is superficial, with a short taproot[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

In traditional medicine the bitter juice of the leaves and a decoction of the bark are used against fever[].

Boiled leaves are used in a poultice against ringworm, and in a mouth-wash against toothache[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A pioneer species, able to regenerate naturally from seed in areas of clear-felling[]. It is often used in reforestation programs in logging concessions[].
The tree is often planted in hedges[].

Other Uses

The wood is strong, lightweight and non-durable[]. It is used for pillars in houses, interior finishes, and especially for roof trusses on account of its lightness and strength[]. It has been used to make carts, and bridges for light traffic. The attractive linear figure makes it suitable for furniture and cabinets as well as for decorative veneer[]. Local small-scale furniture factories are often supplied with this wood, which is used as raw material for external frames[].

Propagation

Seed - germinates quickly in full light, but collected seeds do not germinate well[].
Stem cuttings taken from straight trees is the most common method of propagation[]. Experiments in Indonesia showed that cuttings 15 - 20mm in diameter and 20 - 25 cm long give the best rooting results[]. Trees from stem cuttings will finally develop a superficial root system similar to that of trees grown from seed[]. Cuttings placed directly in the soil may develop rot, especially at the base if thick[]. After 4 - 6 months the young plants may be transplanted[].

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