Common Name: Mahogany

General Information

Mahogany is an evergreen or briefly deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall with a large, spherical crown and many heavy branches that cast a dense shade[, ]. The bole is often short and much-branched, up to 100cm in diameter, usually with a short, buttressing base up to 1 metre in diameter[]. The tree is deciduous in areas where it is subject to drought[].
Mahogany, obtained from several species in the genus Swietenia, is regarded as the world’s finest timber for high-class furniture and cabinet work. This species was the first to be discovered by the Europeans and has been exported from Hispaniola since the 16th century[]. It has been widely over-exploited in the wild and is now cultivated in plantations in other areas of the tropics[]. It is grown as an ornamental tree in various parts of India[].
The tree is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeastern N. America - Florida, to the Caribbean.

Habitat

Pastures, along the sides of roads, rare in natural woodland[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Moths, Thrips
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist to humid tropics, where it is found at elevations from 50 - 1,500 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24 - 32°c, but can tolerate 16 - 36°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 800 - 2,500mm[]. The best development of the trees has been observed in areas receiving the lower rainfall range of 1,000 - 1,500 mm, in localities not far from the sea, and at elevations near sea level[].
Young plants grow best in dappled shade, requiring more light as they grow larger[]. The plant thrives best on deep, rich soil and avoids stiff, heavy soils in the wild; well-drained sandy soils are best[]. It is a complete failure in dry localities and poor soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 8[].
Young trees have straight and slender stems, and branches are formed 2 - 3 metres above the ground with a position oblique to the main stem. Initial growth is fast, depending on site conditions[].
Flowering and fruiting are regular and annual, varying according to climate but taking place shortly before the rainy season. The tree fruits well and produces fertile seeds, sometimes as early as at 20 years of age, although usually it does not seed until it is 30-40 years old[]. Seed production varies according to site and year[].
This species hybridizes with S. Macrophylla and S. Mahagoni. Hybridization has been confirmed by cytological studies[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The stem bark is considered to be antiseptic, astringent and febrifuge[, ]. It is taken orally as a decoction for diarrhoea and dysentery, as a source of vitamins and iron, and as a medicine to induce haemorrhage. When the bark is steeped to a red liquid, it is taken to clear the blood, increase appetite, and restore strength in cases of tuberculosis[, ].
A decoction of the bark is used externally to dress wounds caused by firearms[].

Methanol extracts of the bark showed inhibitory activity on HIV-1 protease[].
Ether extracts of seeds inhibited platelet aggregation, probably due to the presence of tetranortriterpenoids[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Farmers generally plant the species along garden boundaries or around the courtyard, where it provides deep shade[].
The tree is used in reforestation projects, as a shade tree in young plantations of other timber species and as a shade tree in coffee and cacao plantations[, ].

Other Uses

An oil can be extracted from the seed kernels which might be of some commercial value[].

The bark is a source of tannins and has been used for dyeing[].

The crushed fruit shells have been used as a potting medium[].

The heartwood is reddish or pinkish, the colour darkening with age to a deep red or brown; it is distinctly demarcated from the up to 40mm wide band of usually yellowish sapwood. The grain is interlocked, sometimes straight; texture fine to moderately coarse; surfaces are glossy, and the wood is often nicely figured because of the irregular grain. The wood is medium-weight, comparatively soft, very durable, but not considered suitable for applications in contact with the ground. Graveyard tests in Indonesia showed an average service life in contact with the ground of 3.3 years. The wood is resistant to most, but not all, wood-rotting fungi, and is liable to termite attack. The wood seasons well, without much checking or distortion and kiln dries satisfactorily when moderate schedules are used. Rates of shrinkage are low and uniform, after drying it is stable in service. It saws, planes and moulds easily in both green and dry condition; in general it finishes to an exceptionally smooth, lustrous surface, but a woolly surface may occur on bands of reaction wood or interlocked grain; finishing is easy and the wood takes an excellent polish, gluing and nailing properties are good, but discoloration in contact with iron, copper and brass may occur under humid conditions. The wood slices and rotary cuts into fine and decorative veneer, without preliminary treatment, at a peeling angle of 92°. The wood is therefore the choice for high-quality furniture and cabinetwork, joinery, boats and pattern work. Wood carvers use a significant amount of the wood in turnery and sculpture[]. The wood's outstanding technical qualities make it particularly suitable for precision woodwork such as models and patterns, instrument cases, clocks, printer’s blocks and parts of musical instruments; for these purposes, uniform straight-grained material is used. Other minor uses include burial caskets, novelties and expensive toys[].
In Haiti, much of the branch wood and most of the crooked stems are converted to charcoal, particularly in regions isolated from urban markets by poor roads[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a short viability and is best sown as soon as ripe[]. Sow in a nursery seedbed with some overhead shade. The seed wing should be broken, since this facilitates germination[]. Healthy seeds start germinating about 15 days after sowing[]. When the seedlings are 3 - 4 weeks old, remove the overhead shade, giving only lateral shade[].
In Java and Haiti, where abundant natural regeneration is found under trees and in the vicinity of almost all the older plantations, most farmers use wildlings for planting material[].
Without any special treatment, seeds lose much of their viability in 3 months and almost entirely in 6 months[]. Dried in the sun and sealed in airtight containers, they remain fairly viable for over 6 months[]. Viability can be maintained in hermetic air-dry storage at room temperature for 1 year[].
Cuttings from plants up to 3 years old are usua;;y successful, but do not work well from older plants[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: subtract 1 from 12