Alcornoco
Bowdichia virgilioides

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Alcornoco, Bowdichia virgilioides, is a fairly fast-growing tree that can be used as pioneer species when restoring woodland. In the rainforest, it is a large evergreen tree up to 36 m tall but in the savannah it is much smaller and can grow up to 16 m only. Root tubercles and the bark are applied externally to treat various skin conditions. They are antirheumatic, astringent, depurative, febrifuge and hypoglycaemic. Seed oil is also applied externally for relief from articular pain. The wood is resistant to insect attack, hard, heavy, and very durable. Alcornoco is used in landscaping as an ornamental tree.

Bowdichia virgilioides is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 18 m (59ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 20

Where it is found

Rain and savannah forests, favouring more open positions in well-drained soils.

The root tubercles and the bark are antirheumatic, astringent, depurative, febrifuge and hypoglycaem

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

Coming Soon

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 2

The root tubercles and the bark are antirheumatic, astringent, depurative, febrifuge and hypoglycaemic. They are applied externally in the treatment of skin conditions. The seed oil is rubbed on the skin to treat articular pain. Lupeol and an alkaloid have been isolated from the bark.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Hypoglycaemic: Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating: 4

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Agroforestry Uses: A fairly fast-growing tree that grows well in full sun, fixes atmospheric nitrogen and can succeed in dry and poor soils. It can be used as a pioneer species when restoring woodland. Other Uses The heartwood, is brown to reddish-brown; it is sharply demarcated from the narrow band of almost white sapwood. Lustre is low; growth rings not visible; texture coarse and uneven; grain rarely straight, usually cross or wavy; no distinct odour or taste are present. The wood is hard, strong, stiff, fairly heavy, very durable and very resistant to insect attack. Not easy to work with hand tools, particularly if cross grain is present; it can be planed to a good surface if a low cutting angle is used; rather difficult to nail, but nailing and screw-holding characteristics are good; finishes smoothly and takes a high polish; stains and glues well. A very decorative wood and a good joinery timber, it is used for indoor finishing as floorboards, wainscoting, frames, panels and doors, as well as for hubs, felloes of cartwheels etc.

Pioneer: Plants, usually trees and shrubs, that can be used to reforest land.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

Succeeds in a sunny position. Found in the wild mainly on well-drained soils, it can succeed in both dry and poor conditions. Established plants are drought tolerant. A fairly fast-growing tree, able to reach a height of around 3 metres within 2 years from seed. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagating it: Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers. A very low germination rate can be expected from untreated seed, with the seed sprouting within 30 - 60 days. When the seedbed-sown seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 5 - 6 months later.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Alcornoco, Bowdichia virgilioides.

Synonyms

Cebipira virgiliodes (Kunth) Kuntze