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Tree Species (Scientific Name)

Dendropanax arboreus

Tree Family

Araliaceae

Average Leaf Size (cm)

8.2cm

Length

3.3cm

Width

Tree Height

Medium (20–35m)

Elevational Range (m)

0–2600m

Distribution

Native

Exotic

Native to Peru

Native to

Region

Americas

Latin America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuela

Coffee Agroforestry Information

Coffee System

Arabica

Coffee Impact

Beneficial to coffee

Prevalence

Not Common in Coffee Agroforestry

Cultivation

Planted

Natural

Tree Management

Planted by seeds and are dispersed by birds and mammals. They are easy to collect but the seeds (5-7 per fruit) do not always ripen at the same time. Ripe fruits are picked by climbing trees and using sticks with metal hooks to remove them. The pulp is removed from the fruits by hand inside a bucket of water. Sinking seeds are used and dried in the sun for 1-2 hours. Without pregermination treatment, an average of 44% germination is obtained with fresh seeds, which occurs between 10 and 66 days after sowing. Seeds remain viable for about 15 months when stored in ambient conditions. Growth in nursery is fast. Seedlings can reach 25-30 cm in height in a time of 5 months. They require partial shade during their initial development. The management of tree shade in cultivation systems requires assisted pruning, forming a crown form. It has a low incidence of pests.

Tree Benefits and Uses

Farmer Uses

Firewood
Lumber
Medicinal
Product

Used for general carpentry, boxes and drawers, interior construction, furniture, veneer, particleboard, tongue depressants, toothpicks, matches and paper pulp, and plywood. The root and leaves are harvested for local medicinal uses.

Farm Services

Coffee Shade
Soil Improvement

Coffee Shade: provides very dense shade coverage
Soil Improvement: it provides a large amount of organic matter from leaf drop in the dry season

Biodiversity Benefits

Yes

It provides fruit for insectivorous birds such as blue-headed parrots, saltators, and tanagers. Dry stumps are used by parrots to make their nests because it has a soft wood. The seeds are dispersed by birds and mammals. An important source of honey.

Citations

Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-06-22. tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dendropanax+arboreus;

Román, Francisco, et al. Guía para la propagación de 120 especies de árboles nativos de Panamá y el neotrópico. 2012.