Muneco
Cordia bicolor

Family: Boraginaceae

What it is like

Cordia bicolor is a tropical, fast-growing, short-lived pioneer species with an ability to thrive under extreme environmental conditions. It is a medium-sized tree of up to 20 m tall with very small white flowers that form into dense clusters at the ends of branches. The fruits are small berries. The crown is rounded. The fruit is ovoid and edible. The wood is used as fence post and in rural construction. Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Panama, South America, Suriname, Venezuela.

Cordia bicolor is a deciduous Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, butterflies, 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.

Height (m): 15

Where it is found

Found at low and medium elevations, in moist or wet areas. Usually found in the sunnier areas of the forest or as secondary vegetation on open, disturbed sites. Wet, mixed forest, thickets, or pastures at elevations up to 550 metres.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Panama, South America, Suriname, Venezuela.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Although we have seen no specific information for this species, the fruits of all members of this genus are said to be edible. In general the fruit comprises a thin to fairly thick layer of pulpy, sweetish-tasting flesh surrounding a single seed. The ovoid fruit of this species is about 12mm long and 8mm wide.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Agroforestry Uses: A fast-growing, short-lived pioneer species, it is able to support the harsh, adverse conditions created when the primary forest tree-cover is damaged or destroyed. Its ability to grow, even thrive, under such extreme circumstances is important to the process of forest succession. Cordia's rapid growth quickly establishes an anchoring root system as well as a sheltering crown that help to protect exposed soils and provide the more consistent regimes of humidity and temperature that are required by most other plant species. Other Uses The wood is used for fence posts and in rural construction.

Fencing: Plants that can be used for fencing.

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

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.

How it is grown

A tropical plant. It grows in wet and moist forests.

Propagating it: Seed - very slow to germinate, the process can be sped up if the seed is scarified by lightly abrading the seedcoat to allow easier ingress of water.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Cordia bicolor or Muneco

Synonyms

Cordia belizensis Lundell Cordia carnosa Rusby Cordia lockhartii Kuntze Cordia trichostyla Pittier G