About Mahogany Trees
Swietenia mahagoni or mahogany, also called West Indies mahogany, is a semievergreen tree native to the United States, Cuba, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles and the Bahamas. It is one of the most valuable commercial timber species; its hard, reddish-colored wood is often used in furniture production. Mahogany trees also work well as street and landscape trees. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Mahogany trees grow to around 50 feet tall with a 40- to 60-foot spread. They have short, thick trunks, heavy branches and rounded crowns, with pinnately compound leaves composed of 6 to 12 oval-shaped, leathery leaflets that grow along a leaf stem. Mahogany leaves have dark-green upper-surfaces with light-green lower surfaces. Young trees have smooth, light gray bark, while older specimens have reddish-brown bark. The trees produce ornamentally unimportant greenish-yellow flowers, according to Gilman and Watson; hard, dry oval-shaped fruit pods replace the blossoms.
Cultivation Requirements
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Swietenia mahagoni trees are cold-hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 10B through 11. Mahogany trees will lose their leaves if they are exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. They prefer deep, nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and can tolerate either full or partial sunlight. They are moderately tolerant of air and soil salinity, and can grow in coastal areas. Mahogany trees are moderately drought tolerant but grow best if they are watered regularly. They propagate by seed.
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Uses
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During the 16th century, mahogany wood was often shipped from North America to Europe, where it was prized for its fine color and resistance to insect damage and decay. In addition to its value in the furniture industry, mahogany trees are widely used throughout the Caribbean as medicinal plants. Natives steep the bark and ingest the liquid to increase the appetite and clear the blood. People in Haiti use the defective branches and stems as a source of charcoal, while sculptors around the world create works of art from mahogany wood.
Liabilities
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Mahogany shoot borers burrow into the shoots and buds of mahogany trees in the Caribbean. Wet wood termites attack trees in Puerto Rico, while snout beetles and caterpillars feed on trees in Haiti. In the United States, insects such as webworms, tent caterpillars and leaf miners attack mahogany foliage. Borers occasionally feed on diseased or stressed trees. The leaves and fruit tend to be messy in landscapes, and the roots often grow through the surface of the soil and damage curbs and sidewalks.
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