Common Name:

General Information

Vochysia magnifica is an evergreen tree with a sparse and irregular grown, growing 14 - 24 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 50 - 80cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is also used as a fuel. It is very ornamental when in bloom and can be used in parks, large gardens, landscaping etc[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - southern and central Brazil.

Habitat

Mainly in primary, semideciduous forests on slopes and well-drained soils that are not subject to inundation[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moderate elevations in the tropics.
Succeeds in full sun and light shade[]. Prefers a well-drained soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood and sapwood are clearly demarcated. The wood is heavy, hard, moderately durable, cross-grained, thick-textured, with moderate mechanical properties[]. It is used for internal work in general construction, for cabinet making, boxes, toys etc[].
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 partial shade 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 30 - 45 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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