Common Name:

General Information

Zanthoxylum martinicense is a fairly fast-growing, evergreen tree with a thin, spreading crown; it can reach a height of up to 20 metres. The bole can be up to 45cm in diameter. Both bole and branches are armed with thick, conical spines[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern S. America - Venezuela; Caribbean - Trinidad to Jamaica and Cuba.

Habitat

Found especially in secondary forest formations at elevations from sea level to 750 metres in Jamaica[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant requires overhead light[].
A fast-growing tree[].
Plants often flower and fruit all year round[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is creamy to light brown, sometimes with a pronounced greenish blue; it is not readily distinguished from the lighter coloured sapwood. The wood is lustrous; fine and straight-grained; medium to fine textured; with a rancid odour when freshly worked[]. It is moderately heavy and hard; is not believed to be durable in contact with the ground, although specific information as to its vulnerability to decay is not available; very susceptible to dry-wood
termites, pinhole borers, and other insects[]. The wood works easily with either hand or power tools but produces only fair to poor results in most operations; torn grain and coarse fuzziness are common in shaping and turning; tearing and crushing are troublesome in boring and mortising; and considerable scratching and fuzziness occur in sanding unless a very fine abrasive paper is used. However, the wood has good resistance to screw splitting[]. Because of its plain appearance, difficulties in seasoning, and only fair working qualities, the wood is best suited for boxes, crates, general carpentry, low-grade furniture, light construction, concrete forms, and similar uses. However, with
considerable care in seasoning and machining, the better grades of this species could be used for interior trim, doors, window frames, and other types of interior construction. It might also be suitable for utility veneer and core stock[].

Propagation

Seed -

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