Tallow Wood
Ximenia americana
- Native to:
- Andaman Is., Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bismarck Archipelago, Bolivia, Borneo, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caprivi Strip, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Central African Republic, Chad, Christmas I., Cocos (Keeling) Is., Colombia, Congo, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, Haiti, Honduras, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jawa, Kenya, Leeward Is., Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Line Is., Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Maluku, Marianas, Marshall Is., Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicaragua, Nicobar Is., Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Panamá, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Society Is., Solomon Is., Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Suriname, Tanzania, Thaila
J.M.Garg
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Olacaceae
- Genus:
- Ximenia
- Species:
- Ximenia americana
- USDA Symbol:
- XIAM
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 600 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream, yellow
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from roots after fire or damage; common in fire-maintained coastal scrub and pine flatwoods.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- often found in open woodlands and savannas
Propagation & Germination
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification. Germination can be erratic and slow.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI