Swietenia macrophylla aka Honduran Mahogany

Swietenia macrophylla is also known as big leaf mahogany. It belongs to the Meliaceae family. Its native range starts in Mexico and spans Central America. It extends into South America, reaching Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. The tree grows in several forest types in the wet tropics. It often grows by rivers, in rich soil left by floods. It also grows in rainforest and at pine savannah edges.

This tree grows slowly. It keeps its leaves or sheds them for a short time. Its crown is broad, round and open. Trees usually reach 98–131 feet [30–40 metres] tall. On good sites, some reach 197 feet [60 metres]. The straight trunk is round in cross-section and has buttress roots. Most trunks are about 3.3–3.9 feet [1–1.2 metres] across. A few reach 9.2 feet [2.8 metres] across. Insects pollinate the flowers. The tree is self-fertile: it can set seed with its own pollen. The fruit's outer shell splits to let the seeds out.

Young trees need some shade and can cope with dense shade. Older trees grow best with sun above and shelter beside them. They favour rich soil that drains well. Its texture should be medium or heavy. The best soil pH is 6.5–7.5, though trees tolerate 6–8.5. They grow best with daytime heat between 20 and 30°C. They prefer 2,000 to 4,000 millimetres of rain each year. Growth is best below 1,969 feet [600 metres] above sea level. Trees also grow as high as 4,921 feet [1,500 metres].

Growers raise this tree from seed in beds or containers. Fresh seed often starts to sprout within 10–17 days. More than nine seeds in ten may sprout. Growers keep seedlings in shade until they can plant them out. Many parts of the tropics grow this tree in plantations. Gardeners in peninsular Malaysia also plant it as a lawn tree.

Makers of furniture and cabinets prize its wood. Fresh heartwood varies in colour, then turns red or brown. The bark yields gum and materials for dyeing and tanning. Traditional remedies reportedly use bark infusions for diarrhoea and fever. These are liquids made by steeping bark. The source lists no known food uses or hazards. It also flags the tree's potential to become a weed. Heavy logging has cut wild numbers. Some areas have lost nearly all their trees. Useful Tropical Plants cites a 2010 IUCN assessment. It classed the tree as Vulnerable.