Guayacan
Handroanthus guayacan
Family: Bignoniaceae
What it is like
Handroanthus guayacan is a deciduous tree with a narrow or crowded crown that can be found in northern South America. It grows about 60 m in height with trunk diameter of up to 60 cm. It has low but prominent buttresses. It is a source of high quality timber and it is also planted as an ornamental due to its attractive yellow inflorescence. Not only is the wood hard, durable, and dense, it is also resistant to insect attack. It finishes smoothly and is considered excellent for construction uses. It is used for tool handles, boats, etc. Plant propagation is through seeds, cuttings of half ripe wood, and air layering.
Handroanthus guayacan is a deciduous Tree growing to 40 m (131ft) by 25 m (82ft) 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 and can grow in saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 40
Where it is found
Coastal rainforests. Wet to rather dry forest, often in open places, at elevations up to 1,200 metres. Virgin forests and on mountain slopes.
Northern S. America - Colombia; through Central America to Mexico.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Belize; Colombia; Costa Rica; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Peru; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 4
Other Uses: The heartwood is olive-brown to reddish-brown, often with lighter or darker fine striping, sometimes tinged with red; rather sharply demarcated from the creamy-white or yellowish sapwood which is 50 - 75mm wide. The appearance is frequently oily; yellow-green deposits of lapachol are abundant; the lustre is low to medium; the grain typically interlocked producing a fine, stripe figure on quarter-sawn surfaces; the texture is fine to medium, moderately uniform. The wood is hard, dense, durable, resistant to insect attack, resilient and highly resistant to shock. It is reported to be rather difficult to work and inclined to splinter, but it finishes very smoothly, turns well and polishes nicely. It is difficult to glue and pre-boring is necessary before nailing. The wood is highly esteemed where available, and is considered excellent for construction purposes, especially where durability is important. It is also used for boats, tool handles etc. The Cathedral of Panama Vieja contained beams of this wood, and these were reported to be perfectly sound after having been exposed to the weather since the destruction of the city some 250 years previously.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
A plant of mainly moist areas in the lowland tropics, though it can also be found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. Plants are tolerant of salt-laden winds. This species is closely related to Handroanthus chrysanthus.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Cuttings of half-ripe wood. Air layering.
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 sawdust may cause dermatitis, disturbance of vision and shortness of breath in some workers.
Its other names
Local names
Guayacán
Synonyms
Tabebuia guayacan (Seem.) Hemsl. Tecoma guayacan Seem.