Croton palanostigma

Croton palanostigma is a tree in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. Its common names include sangre de grado and dragon's blood. It comes from the wet tropics of South America. Its range includes northern Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. Sources also list French Guiana and parts of Bolivia. It grows in regrowth beside streams with rocky banks. Useful Tropical Plants lists it as a wild-harvested tree.

The tree has a broad crown and a straight, round trunk. Both plant databases give a reference height of 39 feet [12 metres]. PFAF also gives a spread of 39 feet [12 metres]. Broader accounts describe heights from 10–66 feet [3–20 metres]. These figures do not establish a clear cultivated size range. The trunk is often under 1 foot [0.3 metres] thick. Branches start about one-third of the way up the trunk. Cuts in the trunk release a dark red resin. This sap gives the tree its blood-related common names.

PFAF describes this species as fast growing and unable to grow in shade. It lists sandy and loamy soils as suitable. The soil should stay moist but drain well. Its stated pH range spans mildly acid to mildly alkaline conditions. PFAF gives USDA hardiness zones 10–12 and UK zone 10. The supplied sources give no detailed account of cultivation. PFAF lists seed as the means of propagation. The wet tropical range provides context for these growing needs.

People collect the resin from wild trees for local use and trade. The sources describe its use on skin complaints and wounds. PFAF gives the species a medicinal rating of four out of five. Some medicinal passages discuss several trees under the same common name. Those shared accounts do not establish every claimed effect for this species. The wood provides kindling rather than a major timber crop. Fresh wood looks pale brown, then turns greyer as it dries. It has a medium to coarse grain and can take a smooth finish.

Neither plant database records a known food use for this tree. Both report no known hazards, which does not prove safety. The supplied evidence gives no pet-specific safety information. It also gives no flowering season or details of fruit. No species-specific pests or diseases appear in these accounts. PFAF does not flag the tree as a weed risk.