Common Name:

General Information

Sageraea elliptica is an evergreen tree growing up to 25 metres tall.
The wood is very valuable, being light yet very strong, hard and elastic. It is harvested from the wild.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nicobar and Andaman Islands.

Habitat

Found at elevations from sea level to 100 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the wet, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 100 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 18 - 35°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 3,000 - 3,500mm, but tolerates 2,500 - 4,000mm[].
Prefers a position in full sun, tolerating light shade[]. Succeeds in most well-drained soils of at least moderate fertility[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is a straw yellow colour, with an exceedingly hard, bony grain; it is very tough, very strong, and yet pliable. This combination of exceptional strength, toughness, and elasticity in a wood which is also very light in weight, gives it a value that is unique. It has been used traditionally to make bows. It has been suggested that the wood should certainly be tested for hammer and pickaxe handles, picking arms, boat ribs etc., but this wood is far too valuable to warrant its use for such purposes as pickaxe handles, for which many far less valuable timbers could be found[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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