Guanacaste
Description: This majestic tree, known particularly in the dry forest of Guanacaste, Costa Rica is recognized for its elegant, tall, wide spreading canopy that exposes its branches and leaf structure. The grey trunk can be a smooth but usually has fissures and lenticels. The small twice compound leaves fold at night and have a fern-like feel. The flower is visually inconsequential but is very fragrant. Its unique seedpod is called “monkey ear” by the locals. The Guanacaste, famous as the national tree of Costa Rica, is truly beautiful claiming a myriad of uses for nature and man.
Benefits/Desirability: This beautifully streaked hard-wood is often used for furniture. The wood has been used for oxcart wheels, posts and firewood. The seeds have been incorporated into attractive jewelry. The sap from the tree has been used in folk medicine to treat bronchitis, while its green fruit has been used to treat diarrhea. Chemical compounds, saponins found in the bark and pods, cause this to be a soap substitute and also a spermicidal agent.
| Mature height | 65 – 82 ft |
Flowers
The flower is a small, white, ball-shaped flower. It is less than an inch in size (1.5-2 cm)
Fruit
Precautions
This lovely tree needs room to grow. Because it drops seeds, leaves and twigs this requires clean-up near houses or pools. Saw dust from the Guanacaste Tree if dumped into the rivers may be toxic to fish and livestock downstream.
