Hill Jelutong
Dyera costulata

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

Hill Jelutong (Dyera costulata) is a large, deciduous tree with a spreading crown that grows up to 75 m in height. The trunk is not buttressed and can be up to 3 m in diameter and up to 30 m unbranched. It can be found in Southeast Asia where it has long been exploited for timber and latex. The latex is used for chewing gum, celluloid, linoleum, insulation of electric cables, cement, paints, paper, etc. The resinous fruits are used as torches and as mosquito repellent. The roots are used as cork substitute. The wood, on the other hand, are used for carving, pencils, matches, veneer, etc.

Dyera costulata is a deciduous Tree growing to 50 m (164ft) by 30 m (98ft) 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): 50

Where it is found

Primary evergreen lowland or hill forest up to 300 metres. In undisturbed forests at elevations up to 400 metres. Usually on hillsides and ridges on clayey to sandy soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant.

Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

Conservation Status: Status: Lower Risk/least concern

Countries/locations it is found in

Brunei Darussalam; Singapore; Thailand, Asia, Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 1

The resinous fruits are used for medicinal purposes.

Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses: The latex, obtained by tapping the trunk, is used for the production of chewing gum, celluloid, linoleum and the insulation of electric cables. Beside this it serves as admixture for cement, paints and paper. The latex has a number of speciality uses such as pattern making in foundry work, for drawing boards, pencils, picture frames, dowels, carving, blackboards, wooden toys, clogs, brush handles and battery separators, and it is also used for furniture parts, door knobs, ceilings, partitioning, matchsticks, matchboxes and packing cases. The resinous fruits serve as torches. They are also burnt to repel mosquitoes. The roots are used as a substitute for cork. The heartwood is creamy white to pale straw coloured with the frequent presence of large latex canals; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The grain is mostly straight; texture moderately fine and even; slightly lustrous; without taste but with a slight sour odour that is distinctive. The wood is very light in weight; soft; it is not durable, being susceptible to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons rapidly with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is stable in service. The wood works easily with hand and machine tools, but they need to be kept very sharp in order to obtain a smooth finish; latex in the wood may clog the sawteeth; nailing and screwing are poor; gluing is correct. The wood is excellent for carving and is also used, among other things, for making patterns, pencils, matches, match-boxes, boxes and crates, furniture components, interior joinery and panelling, drawing boards, blockboard and veneer.

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

Cork: Including any plants used as a cork substitute. Cork is used for insulation (sound or heat), fire-retardant, bottle stops 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.

Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.

Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.

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.

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.

How it is grown

A plant of the wet, lowland tropics, where it is usually found at elevations up to 400 metres, exceptionally to 800 metres. Requires a sunny position - the tree develops a wide crown when growing in the sun in order to 'claim' its territory. Prefers a well-drained soil, often growing on hills and ridges in the wild.

Propagating it: Seed - the small seed has a limited viability of less than a year. Pre-treatment is not necessary, but soaking the seed in water for 12 hours prior to sowing can speed up the germination process. Germination rates are usually good, with 80 - 90% of the seeds sprouting. Seedlings can be potted up when the first pair of leaves has emerged and planted out when 30cm tall.

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

Pantung, jelutong.

Synonyms

Alstonia costulata Miq. Alstonia eximia Miq. Alstonia grandifolia Miq. Dyera laxiflora Hook.f.

Hill Jelutong Dyera costulata