Margaritaria

Margaritaria

Margaritaria discoidea

Origin: Indigenous

Discover the versatile Margaritaria discoidea, a deciduous tree reaching up to 25 meters in height, adaptable to various habitats and occasionally presenting as a shrub. Its branching pattern, often near the base, features spreading and drooping branchlets, with young tree branches typically forming right angles to the trunk. The bark evolves from thin and smooth grey-brown to rough and fibrous, shedding in sizable pieces. Leaves are a vibrant green, thin, and about 0.1 cm in thickness, with indistinct veins and a clearly defined edge when held up to light. Flowers, small and green-yellow, emit a delicate fragrance and are found on separate male and female trees, blossoming on the bare branches. Fruits manifest as yellow-brown 3-part capsules, less than 1 cm in size, splitting open to release three metallic-shiny blue-black seeds.

This botanical wonder serves a multitude of purposes, including firewood, charcoal, timber suitable for cabinet work, poles, and medicinal applications rooted in its roots.

Noteworthy for its hard and heavy timber, Margaritaria discoidea also produces coppice shoots ideal for building poles. Given its adaptability, it’s a promising candidate for timber plantations and woodlots, particularly in regions where it naturally thrives. Margaritaria, a genus encompassing approximately a dozen tropical members, stands as a testament to nature’s diverse offerings.