Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Iochroma arborescens
Livestock Forage
Medicinal
Ornamental
Ceremonial
English Common Name
Hollowheart, wild tobacco
Colombian Common Name
Tocua, tomatoquina, mínigua, frutogallino
Tree Family
Solanaceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
17cm
Length
×
8cm
Width
Tree Height
Medium (20–35m)
Elevational Range (m)
1000–2400m
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Colombia
Native to
Region
Americas
Latin America
Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Windward Islands
Colombia
Antioquia, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Huila, Santander
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
Propagated by seeds. Has a low incidence of pests.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Livestock Forage
- Medicinal
- Ornamental
- Ceremonial
Used to produce poison.
Farm Services
- Coffee Shade
- Soil Improvement
- Weed Control
- Carbon Capture
Soil conservation and recovery of degraded areas; provides biomass.
Biodiversity Benefits
Yes
Attracts biological control agents, Attracts pollinators. A small tree whose flowers and fruits attract an enormous diversity of animals, large and small. Visited by pollinators and pest controllers alike and because of its size, it allows insectivorous slender-billed birds to descend from the top of the trees into the coffee plants.
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/;
Fern, Ken (2024). Tropical Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://tropical.theferns.info/;
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (2024). GBIF. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/es/;
World Flora Online. (2024). World Flora Online. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org/