Common Name:

General Information

Vochysia tucanorum is an evergreen tree with a dense, globose crown; it can grow 8 - 12 metres tall[]. The cylindrical bole is slightly crooked and around 30 - 40cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber. A very ornamental tree when in bloom, it can be used in landscaping schemes[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, southern, central and eastern Brazil, Bolivia.

Habitat

Primary, open forests as well as secondary formations, often on poor soils, at elevations over 400 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soils, including poor, sandy soils[].
Seedlings are slow to establish after being planted and also grow away slowly[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Although slow-growing, the tree is a useful pioneer species, able to establish itself in poor soils[].

Other Uses

The wood is light, soft, of low durability in contact with the soil[]. The low quality wood is only used for boxes, toys and light artefacts[].
The wood is used for fuel[].
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 - best sown as soon as it is ripe. It does not require any pre-treatment. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance and so should be sown in individual containers and kept in light shade. Germination rates are usually low, with the seed taking from 20 - 60 days to commence sprouting[]. Seedlings grow away slowly and it will take nearly a year before they are large enough to plant into their permanent positions[].

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