Guapiruvu
Schizolobium parahyba

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Schizolobium parahyba, commonly known as Brazilian Firetree to Brazilian Fern Tree, is a deciduous tree characterized by a wide-spreading and flat-topped crown and straight, cylindrical bole that can be up to 80cm in diameter. The bark is smooth and gray-green in color. The leaves are bipinnate. The flowers are bright yellow and fruits are pods containing a single oval, smooth, and brown seed. It grows up to 35m in height, commonly in Atlantic rainforests in South America. When fully established, it is tolerant to drought and can succeed in soils of low fertility. It is vigorous growing and a natural pioneer species within its native range. Further, it has symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria that form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. There are no medicinal and edible uses. However, the leaves contain water-soluble substances that act as antidote to snakebites, particularly to that of Bothrops snakes. The seeds are traditionally used to make buttons and beads. The wood is very light and soft and used for doors and panels, toys, soles of shoes, boxes, native huts, canoes, and cheap furniture. It is also used for fuel.

Schizolobium parahyba is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 25 m (82ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 25

Where it is found

Atlantic rainforest, most commonly in open, secondary formations, preferring valley bottoms, alluvial plains and near rivers, forming dense groups in hillside depressions.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to southern Mexico.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Mexico; Guatemala; Belize; Honduras; El Salvador; Nicaragua; Costa Rica; Panama; Colombia; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; Ecuador; Paraguay; Brazil; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Large flowering tree. Public open spaces. Humid shade garden. Agroforestry Uses: A natural pioneer within its native range, the tree is very fast-growing and also fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It is an excellent choice for restoring land to forest and for establishing woodland gardens. A promising agroforestry species, intercropping is possible because of its light shade. It can be used as a shade tree in coffee plantations. The tree protects surrounding soil from soil erosion. The enormous amount of biomass shed by the tree improves soil fertility. Other Uses The flat, brown, hard, oval seeds are used to make buttons and beads. The heartwood is light brown; it is not very distinct from the yellowish-white sapwood. The texture is coarse to medium; the grain straight to interlocked; lustre medium to bright; taste is astringent, there is no distinct aroma in seasoned wood. The wood is very light in weight, soft and of low durability in some reports . Though another report says that it is reported to be not susceptible to insect attack and to be durable in salt water. It is rarely utilized, possibly because of its repulsive smell when fresh. It is used for the insides of doors and panels, toys, soles of shoes, boxes etc. It is also used for native huts, canoes, and cheap furniture. The wood can be used for fuel.

Beads: Used as necklaces etc.

Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.

Buttons: Plants that can be used as buttons. Not including making buttons from wood.

Containers: Plants, such as gourds, that can be used as containers. Does not include baskets or containers made from wood.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

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

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

Soil conditioner: Plants grown to improve the structure of the soil. See also Green manures.

Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.

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

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to 2,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 26°c, but can tolerate 9 - 30°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 1,600mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 1,800mm. Grows best in a sunny position. Prefers a well drained, moist, loamy to clay soil. Prefers a fertile soil, but can succeed in soils of low fertility. Prefers a Ph in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5. Established trees are drought tolerant. A very fast growing tree, it can be 8 - 10 metres tall after 2 years. It can be grown with a 6 - 8 year pulpwood rotation. Annual wood production can be up to 20 tonnes per hectare. The tree has enormous double-compound leaves that sometimes exceed 2 metres. These leaves can sometimes make people confuse a young plant with a fern or palm. The tree has brittle branches that break off easily in the wind. 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 partially shaded position in individual containers. A germination rate of around 85% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 5 - 15 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Caesalpinia parahyba (Vell.) Allemao Cassia parahyba Vell. Schizolobium amazonicum Ducke Schizolobiu