Cow Tree, Palo De Vaca
Brosimum utile

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

Brosimum utile is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) 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 and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 25

Where it is found

Rainforests. Evergreen forest formations at elevations below 400 metres.

S. America - Amazon basin to Ecuador, north through Colombia and Venezuela to Costa Rica.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Bolivia, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, India, Panama, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, USA, Venezuela.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

A nutritious, milky sap, or latex, flows out of incisions made in the bark. The nourishing white liquid, which is slightly viscous and resinous, is consumed like milk. The sap is also said to taste like cream when fresh and is sometimes used to lighten coffee. It can also be used to create a 'cheese' that is made from the thread-like curds that form on the surface of the liquid when it is exposed to the air. The latex has been used as a base for chewing gum. The fleshy fruit with the nutritious seeds are eaten boiled and salted.

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Milk: made from plants, that is.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The latex is used as an analgesic and is drunk as a medication for colds and whooping cough.

Analgesic: Relieves pain.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Other

Rating: 3

The fibrous bark has been used for making cloth, blankets and sails. The latex is rich in wax-like substances and has been used to make candles. The heartwood is a uniform yellowish white to yellowish brown or light brown with golden shades; it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight to widely and shallowly interlocked; the lustre high; when seasoned there is no odour or taste. The wood is of moderate weight; soft to moderately hard; not very durable, being susceptible to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons normally, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once seasoned it is poorly stable in service. The wood works well with ordinary tools, however they need to be kept sharp otherwise the interlocked grain and the tension wood which is sometimes prevalent can cause fuzzy grain and burning of saws due to pinching; it takes stains and finishes readily; takes nails and screws well; presents no gluing problems. It is used for purposes such as light carpentry, light construction, flooring, furniture components, plywood, particleboard, fibreboard, pulp and paper products, and mouldings.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

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

Latex: A source of rubber.

Lighting: Plants that can be used as torches etc. See also Oil and Wax.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

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

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Staple Crop: Balanced carb: (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.

Staple Crop: Protein: (16+ percent protein, 0-15 percent oil). Annuals include beans, chickpeas, lentils, cowpeas, and pigeon peas. Perennials include perennial beans, nuts, leaf protein concentrates, and edible milks.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

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

How it is grown

A tropical rainforest tree.

Propagating it: Seed - Greenwood cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

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

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Cocal, Margis, Mastate, Palo de Vaca, Sande

Synonyms

Brosimum allenii Woodson Brosimum galactodendron D.Don ex Sweet Brosimum humboldtii Carr. Galactodendrum utile Kunth Common Name: Cow Tree

Cow Tree, Palo De Vaca Brosimum utile