Common Name:

General Information

Simaba floribunda is an evergreen tree with a dense, globose crown, growing 3 - 6 metres tall. The short, cylindrical bole can be 15 - 25cm in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fuel. It is a good pioneer species for use in coastal situations, both for restoring native woodland and also for establishing woodland gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern and northeastern Brazil.

Habitat

Atlantic and coastal rainforests, mainly close to the coast and often found growing in beach sand and on dunes where the soil is highly saline[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	4.50 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[]. Found in the wild mainly on very sandy soils that can contain high levels of salt[]. Plants are likely to be very tolerant of salt-laden winds[].
Young plants have a moderate rate of growth[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. A thin, sweetish pulp[]. The ovoid fruit can be 40mm long and 25mm wide, containing a single, large seed[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A small tree with a moderate rate of growth, it succeeds in sandy and salty soils by the coast, is tolerant of full sun, is easy to propagate and also provides food for the native fauna; it can be used as a pioneer species when restoring coastal forest or establishing a woodland garden in coastal areas[, ].

Other Uses

The wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, light in weight, easy to cut, susceptible to the attacks of wood-eating organisms. Because of its small size it is usually only employed as a fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate in excess of 70% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 15 - 30 days[].

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