Guatambu
Aspidosperma album

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

Aspidosperma album is a 10-30 m tall evergreen tree with a 30-60 cm bole diameter. It is commonly harvested from the wild for medicinal purposes and high class timber called Araracanga. The bark has antifungal properties. It is used as an astringent and to reduce fever. Diarrhoea, fevers, and malaria can be treated also by using bark decoction. For dermatosis, juice from the macerated inner bark can be applied to affected areas. The wood of A. album is used for heavy construction. It is resistant to fungi, dry wood borers, and termites.

Aspidosperma album is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 18 m (59ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. 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 and can tolerate drought. The plant is not wind tolerant.

Height (m): 25

Where it is found

Dense forests .

S. America - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

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 bark is antifungal, astringent, febrifuge. A decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, fevers and malaria. Juice from the macerated inner bark is applied to affected area as a treatment for dermatosis.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antifungal: An agent that inhibits or destroys fungi. Used in the treatment of various fungal problems such as candida.

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

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Malaria: Treats malaria - an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites spread to people through the bites of mosquitos.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating: 4

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Other Uses The orange-brown wood has a waxy feeling. It is used for heavy construction, and is recommended for high class end uses in cabinet making etc. This tree yields a timber known as 'araracanga'. We do not have any more specific information, but a general description of araracanga is as follows: The heartwood is vermillion or deep reddish brown, sometimes with large pink veins, and constitutes about two-thirds of the bole; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 8cm wide band of almost white to light brown sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is very heavy, very hard and very durable when in contact with the soil, being very resisant to fungi and dry wood borers, and moderately resistant to termites. It is somewhay slow to season, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect and is hard to work - power tools that are stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is required; gluing is correct for interior purposes only. The wood has various applications, being used for purposes such as heavy bridges, railroad ties, house posts, heavy carpentry, industrial flooring, hydraulic works in fresh water etc.

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

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

How it is grown

A very variable species, especially in leaf form. This is possibly as a result of hybridisation with other members of the genus, possibly A. Spruceanum or A. Fendleri.

Propagating it: Seed

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

The freshly cut wood and sap of Aspidosperma species causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, with general malaise. The sawdust, on contact with abraded skin, produces local burning and a vesicular eruption with general symptoms of muscular weakness and cramps, sweating, dryness of the mouth, and faintness. Once the wood is thoroughly dry it loses its toxicity unless polishes or dyes in organic solvents are used on it

Its other names

Local names

Guatambœ

Synonyms

Aspidosperma centrale Markgr. Aspidosperma latisiliqua (Poir.) A.DC. Bignonia latisiliqua Poir. Maca