Purpleheart, Amaranth, Nazareno
Peltogyne purpurea

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

One of the most valuable timbers of southern Costa Rica, Peltogyne purpurea or commonly known as Nazareno grows up to 40m in height, with an elongated crown. The bole that branches from low down is moderately buttressed and can be up to 100cm in diameter. It is commonly grown in Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica. The leaves are pinnate and alternate. The flowers are white, small, aromatic, and forms into clusters. Fruits are brown containing single seed pods, and mature between November and February. The wood is very hard, heavy, tough, and strong. It is difficult to work and used for agricultural tools, boats, carpentry, construction, furniture, cabinet-making, flooring, veneer, and panelling among others.

Peltogyne purpurea is a deciduous 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. It can fix Nitrogen. 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 dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Found in very humid climates, it grows best in the hills or in areas with good soil drainage at elevations from 50 - 500 metres.

Northern S. America - Colombia; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Panama; Costa Rica; Colombia

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses The heartwood is purple, streaked with darker or lighter shades of the same, drying to a brilliant purple when exposed to the light; the thick layer of sapwood is nearly white, drying to a gray-yellow-brown. The wood is very hard, heavy, strong, tough, fine-grained and often cross-grained. It takes a very beautiful polish. It is difficult to split and work. It has been used for agricultural tools, boats, general carpentry, interior and exterior construction, railway foundations, furniture, cabinetwork, panelling, inlays, flooring, dock fenders, veneer, and ornamental plates.

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

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics, usually found in areas with a distinct dry season.

Propagating it: The fruits remain on the trees long after their maturation and the seeds, when freed by the opening of the valves, continue to adhere to the valves through the funicle, reaching the ground only, as it seems, when the condition are favourable to ensure germination.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

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

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Purpleheart, Amaranth, Nazareno

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.