Bocconia arborea aka Bocconia Arborea

Bocconia arborea is a shrub or small tree. It belongs to Papaveraceae, the poppy family. Its native range runs from Mexico into Central America. Records place it in Guatemala and El Salvador. They also list Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Kew places it in a tropical biome with dry seasons. Within this range, it grows in damp or wet thickets and woods. It also grows in oak woods and areas of regrowth. Known sites lie at 1,640–8,630 feet [500–2,630 metres] above sea level.

This woody plant has few branches, but each is thick. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height of about 15 feet [4.5 metres]. Its broader account gives 8–20 feet [2.5–6 metres]. The source does not say which heights apply to garden plants. Nor does it say which apply to wild plants. The plant holds yellow latex, a form of sap. The account of its use in medicine describes orange sap. Its large, glaucous leaves give it much of its garden appeal. They can reach 1.5 feet [0.45 metres] long. Their width can reach about 1 foot [0.3 metres]. The supplied photos show flowers, young fruits, and seedpods at several stages. The text gives no bloom season or details of the flowers.

Gardens grow this plant for its looks in warm climates. It suits the tropics and subtropics but withstands little winter cold. It needs a sunny site and prefers light soil that drains well. The evidence gives no exact frost limit or hardiness zone. It gives no set plan for watering garden plants. Growers can raise new plants from seed. The cited garden guide gives 20–25°C as best for seeds to sprout. The accounts name large leaves as its main value in garden design.

Local people gather the plant for medicine and dye. In Guatemala, people have long used its sap for toothache. Past reports describe alkaloids like those found in poppies. They also note that surgeons in Mexico City used them to numb an area. These past uses do not show that home treatment is safe. The bark yields yellow dye for feathers and other items. Reports also name the wood as a source of tannins.

Useful Tropical Plants lists no known food uses or hazards. That lack of known hazards does not prove safety for people or pets. The supplied accounts give no details of pests or diseases.