Native to
Region
Exotic in
Costa Rica
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Tree Benefits and Uses
- Food
- Livestock Forage
- Firewood
- Lumber
- Medicinal
- Ornamental
- Ceremonial
Animal fodder: The low-quality fruits are consumed by cattle, pigs, poultry or fish. The leaves and seeds have a high protein content so they are also used as fodder for some animals.
Food: The fruit pulp and the cooked seed are edible, and juice is also obtained from the pulp to prepare an alcoholic drink.
Medicinal: The leaves and seeds are used as an astringent for intestinal diseases and as an anti-rheumatic.
Firewood: Used as fuel.
Wood: Used in the manufacture of poles.
- Coffee Shade
- Soil Improvement
- Erosion Control
- Reforestation
- Nitrogen Fixation
- Carbon Capture
Coffee shade: Light shade
Carbon capture: Capture and storage of atmospheric carbon.
Soil improvement: Conservation and recovery of soils.
Nitrogen fixation: Helps in fixing nitrogen in the soil in the root zone.
Reforestation: It has great potential to restore degraded soils as part of an agroforestry system.
Erosion control: Helps control erosion in agroforestry systems.
Attracts biological controllers, Attracts seed dispersers, Attracts pollinators
Guamos are traditionally used in shades for coffee. Its flowers attract a variety of pollinating insects and hummingbirds. In addition, the presence of many flying insects within guamo trees makes fine-billed insectivorous birds frequent visitors. Guamos attract resident and migratory warblers, the latter in search of insects to eat before embarking on their return journey 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
World Flora Online. (2024). World Flora Online. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org
de Sousa K, van Zonneveld M, Imbach P, Casanoves F, Kindt R, Ordoñez JC 2017, Atlas de aptitud de especies agroforestales claves bajo climas futuros en América Central. ICRAF Artículo Ocasional No. 26. Turrialba-Costa Rica. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (2024). GBIF. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/es