Santos Mahogany Care

Myroxylon balsamum, Santos mahogany, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical forests from Southern Mexico through the Amazon regions of Peru and Brazil at elevations of 200–690 meters. Plants are found in growing in well drained soil in evergreen humid forest.

The tree is large slow growing, reaching 45 metres (148 ft) in height. Crown is round with dense foliage and the bark is yellowish with a pungent odor. Leaves alternate, petiolate, 8–20 centimetres (3.1–7.9 in) including the petioles, the petioles 1–4 centimetres (0.39–1.57 in) long, and the rachis 5–15 centimetres (2.0–5.9 in) long. The rachis and petioles are pubescent and terete. Leaflets are acute to acuminate at the apex, obtuse at the base, glabrous, with an entire margin and glandular oil dots.

Plants bloom 5 years from seeds during the months of February to June. Flowers are white, pubescent and has around 10 stamens. The fruit is a flat winged pod, narrowly obovate 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) wide, yellow to brown when dried and drop around November to January.