Common Name:

General Information

Vochysia cinnamomea is a deciduous tree with a small, globose crown; it can grow 4 - 7 metres tall. At the highest elevations of its range it can be a shrub just 1.5 metres tall[]. The bole is normally crooked, about 15 - 25cm in diameter with a thick, corky bark[].
The wood is of low quality but is used locally for fuel etc. A very ornamental tree, suitable for street planting where space is at a premium[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Paraguay, central and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Savannah and open woodland at elevations above 800 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[]. Requires a well-drained soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark has medicinal uses[].

Other Uses

The wood is moderately heavy, straight-grained, soft, easy to work with, with good mechanical properties but very subject to rot when exposed to the weather[]. A low quality timber that is sometimes used locally for rustic constructions[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].
We do not have any more information on the wood for this species. However, a general description of the wood for trees in this genus is as follows:-
The heartwood is a dull uniform pink, pinkish- brown or golden-brown; it is not always sharply demarcated from the whitish to yellowish sapwood. The texture is moderately coarse; the grain slightly to highly interlocked; lustre is medium to high; there is no distinctive odour or taste. Vertical traumatic gum ducts may occur sporadically, and is sometimes considered as an objectionable defect. Different species are variable in decay resistance, they are generally reported to be susceptible to attack by fungi as well as insects. Air drying rates range from slow to rapid, the wood being prone to warp with some checking; collapse occurs in thick stock; quartersawing is suggested to minimize degrade. The wood is easily worked by either hand or machine tools, but raised and wooly grain are common defects; it takes glue, paint, and nails well, and polishes to a good finish; it has a tendency to blunt cutting edges. It is used for purposes such as carpentry, utility plywood, furniture components, interior trim, millwork. It has been suggested as a substitute for Cedrela[].

Propagation

Seed - of short viability, it should be sown in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed as soon as it is ripe[]. The germination rate, even of fresh seed, is usually quite low, with the seed sprouting in 35 - 50 days[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual containers when they are large enough to handle. They can be quite difficult to grow away successfully, possibly due to the need for a mycorrhizal relationship[]. Adding some soil from around a healthy tree to the potting compost might resolve the problem[]

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