Couepia longipendula
Couepia longipendula
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
A plant of the tropical lowlands. Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade[1]. Plants are adapted to growing in heavy, infertile, clay oxisols of lowland rainforests[2]. They are tolerant of periodically inundated soils[2]. Early growth is rapid, but slows later. Trees can attain a height of 2 - 3 metres when 4 - 5 years old, at which time they are often producing their first flowers[2]. Fallen mature fruits must be quickly harvested before they can germinate, rot or be removed by small rodents and wild pigs[2]. Trees around 20 years old and 7 metres high yield over 1,000 nuts per year, whilst mature trees will yield over 100 kg[2]. Individual kernels weigh 4 - 7 g and represent around 30% of the weight of the whole nut[2].
Propagation
Seeds germinate within weeks of falling from the tree onto moist ground[2]. Viability is rapidly lost and seeds do not store easily[2]. Sow the seeds in individual containers in a semi-shaded position[1]. Germination rates are usually low, and the seed can be slow to sprout[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Couepia+longipendula>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]Brazilian Trees. Volume 3. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2009 · ISBN 85-86714-34-4 ↩︎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.
- [2]Edible Nuts. — Wickens G.E. · FAO, Rome. · 1995 · http://www.fao.org/docrep/ · ISBN 92-5-103748-5 ↩︎Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [3]Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics — Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. · 2000 · ISBN 85-867174-24-0 ↩︎A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.