Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Trichanthera gigantea
Livestock Forage
Fuelwood
Medicinal
Ornamental
Product
Colombian Common Name
Nacedero
Tree Family
Acanthaceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
13cm
Length
×
7cm
Width
Tree Height
Medium (20–35m)
Elevational Range (m)
100–2150m
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Colombia
Native to
Region
Americas
Latin America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Colombia
Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Livestock Forage
- Fuelwood
- Medicinal
- Ornamental
- Product
Leaves are used as a liver protector and antimalarial. Green stems are used to treat nephritis and roots as a blood tonic, against fever, liver and kidney conditions, and to reduce blood pressure. In veterinary medicine leaves are used as a digestive and to expel the placenta during cows and mares birth. Used as firewood.
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. These trees attract beneficial insects such as wasps, ants and predatory insects, and pollinating flies and mosquitoes. However, they are also home to many insects that feed on plant material such as booklice, thrips, moth larvae, and phytophagous bugs. The abundance of so many small invertebrates gets the attention of some insectivorous slender-billed birds such as flycatchers, greenfinches and warblers.
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/;
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/