The name of this species is often mis-spelt Sloanea berteriana[].

Common Name: Motillo

General Information

Motillo is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole has pronounced buttresses, it can be 60 - 90cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its useful wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Caribbean - Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Leeward and Windward Islands.

Habitat

A dominant, sometimes emergent, tree in the forests of the lower mountain regions, favouring moist ravines[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood may be greyish, greyish yellow brown, yellowish brown, or a uniform pinkish brown to chocolate brown; it is usually distinct from the yellowish sapwood. Indistinct darker brown stripes occur at irregular intervals in some specimens Texture is medium; lustre low; grain irregular; and it is without distinctive odour or taste. The wood is very hard, heavy, strong. It is not particularly attractive and would be difficult to use for furniture because of its many colours. However, the wood of a uniform brown colour would be suitable for many decorative purposes. It works fairly well and produces good to excellent surfaces in all machining operations; it takes screws and nails poorly, requiring lead holes when screws are used and preboring before nailing. The wood is moderately resistant to dry-wood termites. It is probably not durable in the ground nor resistant to marine borers, although definite information is lacking. While the wood lacks the attractiveness for furniture and cabinetwork, it is sufficiently hard, heavy, and strong for all types of heavy construction, farm implement parts, handles, heavy-duty flooring, boat parts, and piling in areas free of
the wood-eating teredos[].

Propagation

Seed -

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