Buchenavia capitata (Vahl) Eichler
Buchenavia ptariensis Steyerm.
Buchenavia vaupesana Cuatrec.
Bucida angustifolia Spruce ex Eichler
Bucida capitata Vahl
Cordia tetraphylla Aubl.
Terminalia hilariana Steud.
Common Name: Yellow Sanders
Yellow sanders is a deciduous tree with a striking, thin crown composed of a few main, widely spreading nearly horizontal branches[
]. It can grow from 6 - 35 metres tall with a cylindrical bole that can be unbranched for up to 22 metres and 60 - 120cm in diameter[
The tree provides a high quality timber, though it is little used commercially[
]. It is planted as an ornamental and also to provide shade in southern Florida, where it is reported to be hardy[
S. America - Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, the Guyanas, Venezuela; through Central America to Costa Rica; north through the Caribbean to Cuba.
Woodlands and thickets in savannah at elevations from 600 - 900 metres in Jamaica[
]. Forest canopies, chiefly in the lower mountain and moist limestone regions of Puerto Rico, where it descends in some places to the moist coast[
|Other Uses Rating||
|Cultivation Status||Ornamental, Wild
A plant of mainly lowland areas in the tropics, but found as high as 950 metres in Colombia and Ecuador.
Requires a sunny position[
]. The plant grows very well in deep shade[
]. The plant is probably much more tolerant of deep shade when young than when it grows larger[
]. Grows wild in heavy soils[
]. Succeeds in dry soils and exposed sites[
A very slow-growing tree[
The bark is high in tannins[
The light yellow to golden-brown heartwood is not clearly separated from the pale yellow sapwood. It has a high lustre; roey or straight grain; medium texture; and growth rings marked by narrow bands of darker pores. The wood is moderately hard; moderately heavy; and strong. The heartwood, sometimes found amongst the timbers of old buildings, is resistant to attack by dry-wood termites and is fairly durable in the ground, but the sapwood is perishable[
]. The wood finishes well and takes a high satiny polish[
]. Machining characteristics are as follows: planing, shaping, turning, boring, mortising, sanding, and resistance to screw splitting are good.
An attractive, good quality wood, although not widely used, it is highly recommended for furniture and cabinetwork. It is suited also for construction, framing, flooring, plywood, decorative veneer, interior trim, boatbuilding, boxes and crates, and turnery[
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