Cordia lutea aka Yellow Geiger

Cordia lutea is in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It grows as a shrub with many branches or a tree. Its native range lies in western South America. Useful Tropical Plants lists Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia in that range. The RHS lists Pacific islands as well. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropical biome. This means a tropical zone with a dry season. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

In the wild, it grows near coasts, often beside streams. Records reach about 4,920 feet [1,500 metres] above sea level. These facts tell us about its home, not garden care. The sources give no sound figures for full-grown height or spread. They lack facts on bark, leaf shape, and flower colour. They do not say when it blooms or describe its fruit. Local use records list flowers, leaves, and fruit.

People gather this plant from the wild for several uses. They eat the fruit raw and use other parts as materials. The fruit yields a sticky substance that serves as glue. Uses include glue for paper and gel for hair. People make looms and barrels from the stems. They also use them for poles, fences, and boats. Records list canoes and rafts as well. These uses give it value beyond food and garden display.

Folk medicine uses the fruit, flowers, and leaves. People use fruit syrup to help loosen mucus. They also use fruit and juice for ulcers. They steep flowers for coughs, stomach pain, and liver complaints. Other flower remedies aim to treat bleeding and ringworm. Some mixes use flowers with other plants used as medicine. People use leaf mixes for sore, swollen gums and washing wounds. These are folk uses, not proof that the treatments work. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known hazards. But it gives no detailed safety review.

Gardeners sometimes grow Cordia lutea for its looks. The account gives no tested advice on how to grow it. It lists seed as a way to raise new plants. It gives no light, water, or soil needs, or frost limits. The sources give no records of specific pests or diseases. Useful Tropical Plants cites a 2019 IUCN rating of Least Concern. It notes a broad range and large population. It names no major threats now or expected in future.