Maclura tinctoria
| Fustic tree (Maclura tinctoria) | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Maclura tinctoria [1] |
| Common names | Fustic tree, taiúva, amarillo, macano, mora, tatajuba [2] |
| Family | Moraceae [1] |
| Genus | Maclura [1] |
| Order | Rosales [1] |
| Native range | Tropical America [3] |
| Habit | Spiny, deciduous tree; usually 15–30 m [3] |
| Fruit | About 2 cm across, with sweet succulent pulp eaten raw [4] |
| Pollination | Dioecious; described as not self-fertile [3] |
| Propagation | Ripe seed; half-ripe cuttings are also listed [3] |
Maclura tinctoria is a tropical American member of the mulberry family. Fustic tree, taiúva, amarillo, macano, mora and tatajuba are among the names used for it. [1][2] It is grown for its distinctive tree form and for small fruits described as sweet and succulent when eaten raw. [4]
Description[edit | edit source]
This is a spiny, deciduous tree described at about 15–30 m in height, with some accounts giving about 20 m. It occurs across tropical America in both moist and dry forest settings. [3][4] The fruit is described as roughly 2 cm in diameter, with sweet succulent pulp suitable for eating raw. [3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Choose a sunny site with soil that can remain moist while draining freely. The species is associated with both wet and dry forest and is described in cultivation guidance as tolerating most soils, provided moisture and drainage are balanced. [3][4] A deep, open planting site is the practical choice for a tree reported at this scale; the available cultivation guidance does not establish a container size or transplanting schedule.
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun is the clearest cultivation recommendation. Its tropical-American distribution includes moist forest as well as drier forest, so warm conditions and good airflow are a more useful starting point than treating it as a shade-grown understory tree. [3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The tree is deciduous and occurs in regions with wet and dry forest conditions. Expect seasonal leaf loss rather than treating every period of reduced foliage as a failure, and keep irrigation responsive to the dry season while preserving drainage during wetter weather. [3][4]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Ripe seed is the documented propagation route. The tropical cultivation guidance recommends sowing fresh ripe seed promptly in a partially shaded nursery bed; it describes low germination and emergence in roughly 10–20 days, so that interval should be treated as an expectation rather than a guaranteed schedule. Half-ripe cuttings are also listed as a possible method, but no rooting percentage or protocol is given. [3]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The species is described as dioecious and not self-fertile. Growers seeking fruit should therefore plan on more than one flowering tree and should not assume that a lone specimen can set a crop or produce seed reliably. [3][4]
The fruit is reported at about 2 cm across and is described as sweet, succulent and edible raw. The available descriptions do not attach a fixed bearing age or harvest month to the species, so planting records should track local flowering and ripening rather than relying on a universal calendar. [3][4]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The small fruit is described as having sweet succulent pulp and being eaten raw. That description is a food-use observation, not a substitute for a species-specific food-safety assessment; unusual fruit should be identified with care before tasting. [4]