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Fabaceae FAMILY

Myroxylon balsamum pereirae

Myroxylon balsamum pereirae

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

At least six clinical studies published in recent years indicate that balsam can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic reactions reported are generally skin rashes and dermatitis when the balsam comes into contact with the skin - even in small amounts found in soaps, perfumes, and other common body care products[1]. These allergic reactions are attributed to the gum's benzoic acids, which some people are highly sensitive to[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitTree
GrowthSlow

A plant of the moist to wet lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 700 metres[2]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 16 - 32°c[3]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -1°c[3]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 2,700mm, but tolerates 1,350 - 4,000mm[3]. Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating some shade[3]. Prefers a well-drained soil[4]. Plants can succeed on poor soils if they are well-drained[5]. Grows on mildly acid soils, preferring a pH in the range 5 - 8[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 8[3]. Seedlings grow to 2.5 metres tall within 2 years[2]. Trees can attain a height of 10 metres in 10 - 12 years, and 20 metres in 25 years[4]. The trees are not a profitable source of balsam until about their 15th year[2]. Under proper management, trees can then yield gum for 30 - 40 years[2]. Gum harvesting begins on 20 - 30 year old trees with a minimum diameter of 12 - 15 cm[2]. Trees commence flowering when about 5 years old[4]. Twenty year old trees yield about 3 kg of gum per year[2]. Wild populations are the major sources of the balsam. Gum harvesting is drastic and may cause serious tree injury or deaths[2]. There are various methods used to obtain the gum:- 1). Numerous V-shaped incisions are made in the bark, being careful not to girdle the tree[6]. The balsam flows through the incisions, into vases[4]. 2). A section of bark 15 - 25 cm in size is removed from the tree at about 30 cm above the ground[4]. The wound is covered with a piece of cotton cloth to absorb the liquid. When the natural flow ceases, scorching stimulates it to flow again. The impregnated rags are then boiled in water and pressed[4]. 3). Trees are burned at the base. Strips of bark are pulled off, crushed and placed in hot water to soften the balsam and facilitate its flow. The cooled balsam sinks to the bottom and can be separated[6]. 4). Sections of the tree trunk are beaten with a wooden club and then vertical incisions 8 cm wide are made in the bark. A few days later the incisions are heated with fire to stimulate gum flow, but the incisions are not burned. Rags are placed over the incisions and removed when they are saturated. Crude presses are used to extract gum from the rags[6]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[7].

Propagation

Seed - it is mainly propagated through natural regeneration but seed can also be planted in a mixture of clay and organic matter to a depth of 5mm, covered with fine soil and watered daily[2]. Germination beds or containers should be partially shaded[2]. Seeds germinate in 15 - 30 days with a success rate of over 50%[2]. Seedlings are ready for planting out in 5 months[2]. Natural regeneration is abundant mainly under the crown of parent trees, where seeds attain up to 80 percent germination[4]. Few of these seedlings ever reach maturity because of the low light levels in the forest[4]. Fruits must be soaked in running water for 24 hours in order to soften the pericarp and facilitate seed extraction[4]. The presence of high levels of coumarin in the cotyledons and embryonic axis seems to have no effect on the germination of this species, but it seems to act as an allelopathic factor[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Myroxylon+balsamum+pereirae>

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]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  3. [3]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  4. [4]Tropical Tree Seed Manual — Vosso. J. Editor. · USDA Forest Service. · 2002 · http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm ↩︎An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
  5. [5]Forest, Farm, and Community Tree Network — http://www.winrock.org/fnrm/factnet/factnet.htm ↩︎A series of in-depth factsheets on a wide range of plants, especially leguminous trees.
  6. [6]Global Invasive Species Database — http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/ ↩︎Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
  7. [7]Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy — United States Department of Agriculture · http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en ↩︎An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
  8. [8]Flora of Guatemala — Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark · 1946 - 1976 · http://www.archive.org/ ↩︎A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
  9. [9]Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants — http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 ↩︎Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
  10. [10]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
  11. [11]Vegetable Gums and Resins. — Howes. F. N. · Faber · ISBN 81-88818-17-8 ↩︎A very good book dealing with the subject in a readable way.
  12. [12]CosIng — http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↩︎CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.