Ochanostachys amentacea

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropical lowlands where it can be found at elevations from sea level up to 950 metres^[1]. Succeeds on a variety of soils^[1]. It is found in the wild on clay-rich, loamy or sandy, usually well-drained soils, apparently growing well on laterite, and is only rarely found in periodically inundated locations^[1]. Plants are very tolerant of shade^[1]. Under natural conditions, it takes approximately 150 years for a tree to grow to a diameter of 50cm, and 200 years to reach a diameter of 60cm, but a mean annual diameter increment of about 1cm has been reported for an individual 44-year-old tree in the arboretum of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia^[1]. In a sample plot with 308 petaling trees an annual diameter increment of 5mm has been measured^[1]. Early growth is about 2.4 metres in height in 5 years^[1]. In a plantation trial in Malaysia, trees with an age of 33 years attained a mean height of 21 metres^[1]. The tree flowers almost throughout the year, the fruits may be found throughout the year, but mast fruiting years have been observed^[1]. Natural regeneration of petaling is sparse and scattered, but may be fairly plentiful under favourable conditions^[1]. Natural vegetative reproduction takes place by means of coppice shoots and root suckers^[1]. Trees are not resistant to fire - about 90% mortality was observed after a fire in East Kalimantan^[1].