Bloodwood Cacique
Brosimum rubescens

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

Bloodwood Cacique or Brosimum rubiscens is an evergreen tree that grows up to 40 m tall with trunk diameter of up to 5 0 -70 cm. It has no buttresses, and its crown is small. It is found in wet evergreen forests at low elevations in South America. The latex is drunk to treat colds and cough. Bloodwood cacique is valued for its very hard and durable, high-quality wood that is resistant to termite attacks. It is used in furniture-making, carpentry, parquet flooring, etc.

Brosimum rubescens is an evergreen Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Wet evergreen forests at low elevations.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, north through Central America to Panama and Costa Rica.

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 latex is drunk as a medication for colds or for coughing.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Other

Rating: 4

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Other Uses: The heartwood is dark red, often with darker veins; it is clearly demarcated from the 4 - 20cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is very hard, dense, very heavy; durable, with a high resistance to wood-eating organisms. It is slow to season, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is stable in service. The wood has a fairly high blunting effect, stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; it finishes well with a beautiful polish; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is required; gluing is correct for internal purposes, but requires care because of the denseness of the wood. A very good quality wood, it is used for making high value items such as furniture, musical instruments, parquet flooring, wood ware, turned goods and fancy carpentry.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

Latex: A source of rubber.

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

How it is grown

Prefers a position with some shade. Newly planted young trees have a moderate rate of growth.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sow in individual containers, placed in partial shade. Germination rates are usually low, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 60 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

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

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Bloodwood Cacique or Brosimum rubiscens

Synonyms

Brosimum paraense Huber