Sandbox hura
Hura crepitans

Family: Euphorbiaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It grows 25-60 m tall. The trunk and branches are spiny in young plants. It does not have buttresses. The leaves are heart shaped and have teeth. The side veins are straight and parallel. Broken leaves have a toxic sap. The flowers are in a cone shaped stalked head. The flowers are deep red. The fruit is a small capsule. It starts green but turns brown. The seed pod explodes when ripe.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows at low elevations in both dry and moist zones. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Asia, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Senegal, Singapore, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The flowers have been used to make jam. Caution: The latex of the tree can cause blindness.

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds and cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Abru koyin, Ceibo, Dimbo, Havillo, Hazombary, Nuno, Pohon hura roda, Tronador

Synonyms

Hura brasiliensis Willd.; Hura crepitans var. genuina Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans var. membranacea Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans var. oblongifolia Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans var. orbicularis Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans var. ovata Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans var. senegalensis (Baill.) Boiss.; Hura crepitans var. strepens Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans f. oblongifolia Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans f. orbicularis Müll.Arg.; Hura crepitans f. ovata Müll.Arg.; Hura senegalensis Baill.; Hura strepens Willd.; Sterculia crepitans L.;