Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Cedrela odorata
Livestock Forage
Fuelwood
Lumber
Medicinal
Ornamental
Product
Ceremonial
English Common Name
Spanish cedar, Cedar Wood, West Indian Cedar
Colombian Common Name
Cedro, cedro rosado, cedro amargo
Tree Family
Meliaceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
50cm
Length
×
25cm
Width
Tree Height
Large (> 35m)
Elevational Range (m)
0–2700m
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Colombia
Native to
Region
Americas
Latin America
Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Windward Islands
Colombia
Antioquia, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Nariño, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca
Exotic in
Latin America
Africa, Eastern Asia
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
Planted naturally by seed dispersal and in a nursery by seed or cutting. The seeds are dispersed by the wind. The species drops its leaves during the dry season.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Livestock Forage
- Fuelwood
- Lumber
- Medicinal
- Ornamental
- Product
- Ceremonial
Leaves infusions are used to relieve toothache and earache, and antibiotically to treat dysentery; bark infusion is used to stop bleeding in women. Latex is used to soothe bronchitis symptoms. The outer of the root is used to treat epilepsy in addition to having a healing and digestive effect. Appreciated for carpentry and cabinetmaking, fine furniture, construction, musical instruments, canoes, and handicrafts (made out of its fruits).
Farm Services
- Coffee Shade
- Windbreak
- Soil Improvement
- Carbon Capture
- Water Protection
Used for water protection and decontamination
Biodiversity Benefits
Yes
Attracts biological control agents, Attracts seed dispersers, Attracts pollinators; Leaves are usually covered by white mealybugs. Due to the presence of several small flying insects, many insectivorous birds species are attracted to these trees, including slender-billed species and both resident and migratory birds can be observed there looking for insects.
Citations
Citations
Plants of the World Online (POWO). (2024). Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/;
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). IUCN Red List. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/;
United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2024). Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/home/;
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). (2024). Checklist of CITES species. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://checklist.cites.org/#/es
Román, F., De Liones, R., Sautu, A., Deago, J., & Hall, J. S. (2012). Guía para la propagación de 120 especies de árboles nativos de Panama y el neotrópico. Retrieved from https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/20967/stri_GUIA_PROPAGACION.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y;
Fern, Ken (2024). Tropical Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://tropical.theferns.info/;
Universidad EIA. (2024). Catálogo virtual de Flora del Valle de Aburrá. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://catalogofloravalleaburra.eia.edu.co/;
Cárdenas, L. M. (2016). Aspectos ecológicos y silviculturales para el manejo de especies forestales: Revisión de información disponible para Colombia. Fundación Natura. Bogotá, D.C., Colombia;
World Flora Online. (2024). World Flora Online. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org/;
Universidad Nacional de Colombia. (2024). Nombres Comunes de las Plantasde Colombia. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/es/;
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (2024). GBIF. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/es/