Pachira quinata / Bombax ceiba - Pochote
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Malvaceae
Central America and northern South America (some accounts claim it's native to Asia and Australia).
Dry tropical forests. Up to 900 meters above sea level. 20 meters tall.
Ecological value:
Pollinated by bats and moths. Fast growing and drought tolerant - can thrive during 5-6 months of dry season. The tree coppices well. Used as live fences in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, by propagating vegetative stakes.
Material uses:
One of the most affordable woods in Costa Rica and used in furniture-making, guitars and other fine wood crafts. The wood is reddish-brown and durable. It’s used in construction, furniture and is suitable for veneer and plywood. It is said to have similar properties to Cedrela odorata.
Edible uses:
No part of tree is known for human consumption. Used as shade tree in coffee plantations.
Medicinal use:
Roots are used to treat diarrhea.
Other details:
Listed as vulnerable from overexploitation and habitat loss. Easy to propagate in large numbers from vegetative cuttings. Contains a hygroscopic gum which determines the degree of predatorily attach from wood-boring insects.
Research:
Hyunjung Kim/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Bombacopsis Quinata - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bombacopsis+quinata#:~:text=America%20%2D%20Panama%2C%20Costa%20Rica%2C%20Nicaragua.
Image source: Wendy Cutler.