Quassia amara aka Quassia

Quassia amara is an evergreen shrub or small tree. Its plant family is Simaroubaceae. People call it bitterwood, bitter quassia, and Surinam quassia. Kew gives its home range as central Mexico to southern tropical America, plus Guadalupe. Other sources place it in northern South America and Central America. It grows under rainforest trees and in other damp sites. Kew also lists it in tropics with a dry season.

This plant grows slowly to about 10–16 feet [3–5 metres] tall. It can spread to 16 feet [5 metres]. Its compound leaves have more than one leaf part. They grow in turn along the stems, not in pairs. The plant keeps its leaves all year. Its blooms range from red to deep scarlet. Hummingbirds bring pollen to the flowers. It also bears small drupes, a type of fleshy fruit. Its leaves, blooms, and small size suit gardens in the tropics.

When grown in gardens, bitterwood likes warmth and damp air. It prefers part shade but can grow in full sun. Give it rich soil that stays moist but drains well. Both loam and clay suit this plant. It accepts slightly acid, neutral, and slightly alkaline soil. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 10–12. Frost can harm it, so cold limits its use outdoors. It suits damp shade gardens and large pots. The same source lists uses indoors and in a conservatory. Growers can raise it from seed or half-ripe cuttings.

People grow bitterwood for its looks and harvest other parts. Its inner bark has a recorded use in drinks. Bitter extracts from its bark and wood flavour drinks with alcohol. Brewers have also used these in place of hops. All parts contain quassimarin, a bitter compound with reported effects in medicine. Past uses include help with appetite and digestion, and care for fever. Sources also note uses against malaria and worms in the gut. These reports list uses as medicine, not advice for home care.

People use the bark and young stems to control insects. Other parts can serve this purpose too. Reports note the use of crushed leaves to repel mosquitoes. The sources name no specific pests or diseases. Plants For A Future records no weed potential. Both plant-use sources report no known hazards. This does not prove it is safe for pets. Nor does it mean people can freely eat it. Its recorded food use adds a bitter taste to drinks. It is not a fruit or vegetable crop.