Itauba
Mezilaurus itauba

Family: Lauraceae

What it is like

Mezilaurus itauba or Itauba is a large, tropical, slow-growing, evergreen tree growing about 20 - 40 m tall and 60 - 80 cm in trunk diameter. It can be found in South America. It has a round crown. The bark yields an essential oil containing apiol that may cause abortion in pregnant women. The edible fruit is an ellipsoidal berry. The wood is heavy, highly durable, and resistant to attack of marine borer. Due to its high quality, the wood is used in external heavy construction, high class furniture, boat buildings, etc.

Mezilaurus itauba is an evergreen Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 25 m (82ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Primary forests of high terrain, with sandy or clayey-sandy soils, well-drained and of low fertility. Humid tropical and subtropical forests in Bolivia.

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

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Fruit. The fruit is an ellipsoid berry, around 2 x 1cm. No more details.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The bark is used as an abortifacient.

Abortifacient: Causes an abortion.

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses An essential oil is obtained from the bark. It contains apiol. The heartwood is a yellow-brown to a dark, lustrous brown; it is not clearly demarcated from the 2 - 5cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain interlocked and sometimes wavy; the surface has an oily aspect. The wood is heavy; moderately hard to hard; elastic; very durable, being very resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites, and reported to be highly resistant to marine borer attack. It seasons slowly, with only a low risk of distortion but a high risk of checking; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect, stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; the interlocked grain means that it can be difficult to cut and to plane; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring; gluing is correct for interior purposes only. A high quality wood, it is used sometimes as a substitute for teak (Tectona grandis). It is much used in external heavy construction for items such as bridges, railway ties, marine works, poles etc, for beams; and is also suitable for high class furniture, cabinet making, turnery etc; as well as for cart bodies, boat building, furniture components, joinery etc.

Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents 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

Succeeds in full sun or dappled shade. Although a plant of primary forests, it regenerates easily in open areas.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a position in light shade, in individual containers, as soon as it is ripe. Germination rates are usually low, occurring in 3 - 5 weeks. Plants grow away slowly.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Itauba

Synonyms

Acrodiclidium anacardioides Meisn. Acrodiclidium itauba Meisn. Endiandra itauba (Meisn.) Benth. & Ho