Catahua
8.27 × 11.69 inches
Scientific name: Hura crepitans
Common name: Catahua, Sandbox tree, possumwood
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Order: Malpighiales
Place of origin: Tropical regions of North and South America in the Amazon Rainforest
Hura crepitans is a resilient, fast growing, semi-deciduous canopy tree, that can grow up to 50 meters tall. It can be distinguished by its many dark pointed cone shaped spines. Its leaves are thin and heart shaped and up to 60cm long. Male flowers grow on long spikes, female flowers are solitary. From an agro ecological & restoration perspective it is a very important plant as it grows well in degraded soils and standing water. The wood is used to make canoes as it survives in the water relatively well and is lightweight.
This plant is considered a powerful medicinal teacher plant. The resin from this tree is poisonous and can burn the skin-when sawing this tree one must cover themselves from head to toe to avoid sawdust contacting the skin.
When taken in small doses indigenous communities use this plant to cure parasitic diseases. The resin is also used as a fish poison – communities mix resin into mud balls and toss them into streams to attract the fish, which then rise to the surface easy to collect.
8.27 × 11.69 inches
Scientific name: Hura crepitans
Common name: Catahua, Sandbox tree, possumwood
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Order: Malpighiales
Place of origin: Tropical regions of North and South America in the Amazon Rainforest
Hura crepitans is a resilient, fast growing, semi-deciduous canopy tree, that can grow up to 50 meters tall. It can be distinguished by its many dark pointed cone shaped spines. Its leaves are thin and heart shaped and up to 60cm long. Male flowers grow on long spikes, female flowers are solitary. From an agro ecological & restoration perspective it is a very important plant as it grows well in degraded soils and standing water. The wood is used to make canoes as it survives in the water relatively well and is lightweight.
This plant is considered a powerful medicinal teacher plant. The resin from this tree is poisonous and can burn the skin-when sawing this tree one must cover themselves from head to toe to avoid sawdust contacting the skin.
When taken in small doses indigenous communities use this plant to cure parasitic diseases. The resin is also used as a fish poison – communities mix resin into mud balls and toss them into streams to attract the fish, which then rise to the surface easy to collect.
8.27 × 11.69 inches
Scientific name: Hura crepitans
Common name: Catahua, Sandbox tree, possumwood
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Order: Malpighiales
Place of origin: Tropical regions of North and South America in the Amazon Rainforest
Hura crepitans is a resilient, fast growing, semi-deciduous canopy tree, that can grow up to 50 meters tall. It can be distinguished by its many dark pointed cone shaped spines. Its leaves are thin and heart shaped and up to 60cm long. Male flowers grow on long spikes, female flowers are solitary. From an agro ecological & restoration perspective it is a very important plant as it grows well in degraded soils and standing water. The wood is used to make canoes as it survives in the water relatively well and is lightweight.
This plant is considered a powerful medicinal teacher plant. The resin from this tree is poisonous and can burn the skin-when sawing this tree one must cover themselves from head to toe to avoid sawdust contacting the skin.
When taken in small doses indigenous communities use this plant to cure parasitic diseases. The resin is also used as a fish poison – communities mix resin into mud balls and toss them into streams to attract the fish, which then rise to the surface easy to collect.