Triplaris americana
Triplaris americana
Safety & Hazards
Hollow stems on the tree are inhabited by small, vicious ants which emerge quickly and attack anyone molesting the tree[ 316 Title Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607. Publication Author Chudnoff. Martin. Publisher USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin. Year 1984 ISBN Description Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics. ].
Botanical Description
Triplaris americana is an evergreen tree with a narrow, columnar crown growing up to 20 metres tall[ 447 Title Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Publication Author Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. Publisher USDA, Forest Service; Washington. Year 1964 ISBN Description Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species. ]. The straight bole, which is slightly angled or fluted, is up to 45cm in diameter[ 447 Title Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Publication Author Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. Publisher USDA, Forest Service; Washington. Year 1964 ISBN Description Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is mainly used locally. The tree is sometimes grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its showy masses of large, odd, reddish fruits at the top of the crown of female trees[ 447 Title Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Publication Author Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. Publisher USDA, Forest Service; Washington. Year 1964 ISBN Description Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species. ].