Leplaea cedrata aka Light Boss

Leplaea cedrata, or scented guarea, belongs to the Meliaceae family. This evergreen tree grows in wet tropical Africa. Its range runs from Guinea Bissau east to Uganda. It extends south to Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It forms part of the canopy in lowland rainforests. It also grows in forests that lose some seasonal leaves.

This slow-growing tree has a dense crown. Listed dimensions reach 148 feet (45 metres) tall and 98 feet (30 metres) wide. These figures do not establish a typical garden size. Forest trees can reach 180 feet (55 metres). The straight, round trunk may have grooves along its length. It can remain branch-free for 85 feet (26 metres). Some trees form blunt buttresses reaching 10 feet (3 metres) high. Fresh leaves emerge in shades of pink and red. The fruit is a capsule that opens to release seeds. Each seed has a yellow aril.

Scented guarea needs the warmth of the moist lowland tropics. PFAF lists USDA zones 10–12 and UK zone 10. It grows where yearly rainfall exceeds 63 inches. It prefers moist soil with good drainage and tolerates poor fertility. Sandy, loamy and clay soils can all suit it. Mildly acid to neutral soil is suitable. Young trees tolerate deep shade and can persist there. Seedlings are sensitive to drought, and nursery beds need shade. The species is not self-fertile.

Growers sometimes retain trees to shade coffee and cocoa crops. The timber serves for floors, doors, furniture, plywood and boats. Fresh wood has a scent like cedar. Its pale pink-brown heartwood turns red-brown after exposure. The bark contains an essential oil and has traditional medicinal uses. These include treatments for stomach pain, kidney pain and rheumatism. Such uses do not establish that home remedies are safe. PFAF records no known edible uses.

Wood dust can irritate the skin. People also use the bark to poison fish. Fresh seed loses viability soon, which limits storage. Germination can take 20–45 days, sometimes reaching 65 days. Insects may damage stored seeds. Useful Tropical Plants reports the species as Vulnerable. Forest loss, damage and selective timber cutting threaten its populations. Although widespread, it tends to occur at low densities.