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Tree Species (Scientific Name)

Inga vera

Tree Family

Leguminosae

Average Leaf Size (cm)

22cm

Length

18cm

Width

Tree Height

Medium (20–35m)

Elevational Range (m)

0–2300m

Distribution

Native

Exotic

Native to Colombia

Native to

Region

Americas

Latin America

Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Windward Islands

Colombia

Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Nariño, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca

Exotic in

Latin America

Java

Coffee Agroforestry Information

Coffee System

Arabica

Coffee Impact

Beneficial to coffee

Cultivation

Planted

Natural

Tree Management

It is propagated by seeds, cuttings, shoots, or sprouts.

Tree Benefits and Uses

Farmer Uses

Food
Livestock Forage
Fuelwood
Lumber
Medicinal
Ceremonial

Bark, leaves and buds are used as astringent and in antiseptic baths; it also helps relieve pain and aids in digestion. Used in construction, vessel making, and carpentry.

Farm Services

Coffee Shade
Soil Improvement
Nitrogen Fixation
Carbon Capture

Helps with nitrogen fixation in soil through the roots

Biodiversity Benefits

Yes

Attracts biological control agents, Attracts seed dispersers, Attracts pollinators; The presence of many flying insects within guamo trees makes insectivorous slender-billed birds frequent visitors. Guamos attract resident and migratory warblers, the latter in search of insects to eat before embarking on their journey back to North America.

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/; Fern, Ken (2024). Tropical Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://tropical.theferns.info/; 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/