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Cecropia obtusa
Urticaceae FAMILY

Cecropia obtusa

Cecropia obtusa

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The branches and leaf petioles of Cecropia species are often hollow and can harbour stinging ants. The trees attract the ants by means of producing a honey-like sap and the ants respond by working to keep the tree free of leaf-eating pests - which can include humans[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
Growth—

Plants in this genus generally prefer a sunny position in a well-drained soil[2]. A fast-growing, but short-lived tree[2]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Propagation

Seed - requires light to germinate. It can be sown in light shade in a nursery seedbed, but should not be covered, just lightly pressed into the soil[3]. Greenwood cuttings in a frame with bottom heat. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cecropia+obtusa>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database — http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm ↩︎Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]Brazilian Trees. Volume 2. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-15-1 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
  4. [4]Fruits of the Guianan Flora — van Roosmalen. M.G.M. · Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. · 1985 · ISBN 90-9000988-4 ↩︎Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
  5. [5]Medicinal Plants of the Guianas — DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J. · Smithsonian Museum · http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html ↩︎A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
  6. [6]Anthropological Papers Nos. 27 - 32 — US Government Printing Office; Washington. · 1943 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎A series of papers, including one looking at 100 often used native plants of the Yucatan.
  7. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎