Mezilaurus ita-uba

Mezilaurus ita-uba, or itauba, is an evergreen tree in the laurel family, Lauraceae. The sources also spell its name Mezilaurus itauba. It grows in South America, from Colombia and Venezuela to northern Bolivia. Other records include Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and the Guianas. It lives in wet tropical forests and humid subtropical forests. It grows on high ground in old forest, often on poor soil.

This large tree has a rounded crown and straight trunk. Reference profiles give a height of about 98 feet [30 metres]. Broader forest records span 66–131 feet [20–40 metres]. PFAF gives a spread of about 82 feet [25 metres]. The trunk can reach 2–2.6 feet [0.6–0.8 metres] across. On rocky, sandy ground, the plant may remain a shrub. Its evergreen leaves keep the crown in leaf through the year. The fruit is an edible, oval berry, about 0.8 inches long and 0.4 inches wide.

Itauba grows in full sun or in light, broken shade. It can renew itself in open ground despite its forest origins. It prefers moist soil that drains well. Sandy and loamy soils suit it, including soils with few nutrients. It tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. PFAF lists USDA hardiness zones 10–12. Its growth accounts differ: one profile says medium, while another calls it slow-growing. Young plants grow slowly after sprouting.

Seed offers a way to raise new plants. Sow ripe seed soon after harvest, using separate pots in light shade. Germination often takes three to five weeks, but few seeds may sprout. People collect its fruit for food and harvest its timber. The heavy wood serves for boats, fine furniture, and heavy outdoor building work. It resists decay fungi, termites, and dry-wood borers. These wood traits do not establish resistance in the living tree. The timber dries slowly and can crack as it dries.

The bark yields an essential oil that contains apiol. Sources report bark use to cause abortion, so this is not a safe home remedy. The edible-fruit reports give no preparation details. Useful Tropical Plants reports a Vulnerable listing from the 2011 IUCN Red List. That dated report should not be read as a verified current assessment.