Cedrela odorata

Specifications

Family

Meliaceae

Species

Cedrela odorata L.

Common name

Cedrela odorata
Commonly known as

spanish cedar

Description

The wood, with a distinctive cedar-like aroma, varies in color from light brown to reddish-pink, with a straight or slightly wavy grain and a coarse texture.

Plant morphology

It is a monoecious tree that can reach 30 m in height. The trunk has thick gray-brown bark with irregular longitudinal veins.

Natural occurrence

Countries of origin and distribution

Central America: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Venezuela.

Habitat and ecology

It lives in lowland and hilly forests on well-drained substrates. It is a pioneer and sun-loving species of secondary formations.

Uses

Use class

CU1

CU2

CU3

CU4

CU5

Application areas

It's easily worked, resists decay when buried, and contains an oil that makes it resistant to termites. It's used for a wide range of objects, so much so that it's considered one of the most important and valuable woods in the world.

Threats and Conservation

Threats

Overharvesting, habitat loss, and fragmentation are the main threats. Exploitation has continued on a large scale for approximately 200 years, and the species remains largely threatened in its native habitat. Trees are often harvested opportunistically in search of other species, such as mahogany and trees of the Amburana and Machaerium genera. Natural regeneration is generally good. Unfortunately, there are many incidents of felling of trees that have not yet reached full maturity, detrimental to the preservation of balanced and exploitable stands in the future. In the Colombian Amazon region, it is considered the most exploited species, a pillar of the local economy; demand for this wood is extremely high at the local, national, and international levels. Extraction is clearly unsustainable in the medium and long term, and the species is becoming scarce. Therefore, loggers are increasingly pushing deeper into the forest to extract quality wood and seek out new sites for exploitation.

Conservation measures

Subpopulations are protected within national parks and agricultural lands. Efforts are underway to establish plantations throughout the tropics. Colombia and Peru regulate exports and have developed measures to control harvests.

IUCN Red List IUCN

VU - Vulnerable

CITES. Year of assessment CITES

2017

1975

2050

CITES Italia • Ultimo aggiornamento

2017

Appendix II - Neotropical populations only

Technical data

Aesthetic characteristics

Grain

Obvious

Texture

Medium

Physical and mechanical properties

Density
ρ

470 kg/m³

Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.

MPa

Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.

MPa

Bending strength
M.O.R.

62 MPa

Modulus of Elasticity
M.O.E.

9210 MPa

Durability characteristics

Fungal resistance

Durable

Insect resistance

Resistant

Miscellaneous

The plant is honey-producing and used on cocoa plantations as a shade tree. Given its state of conservation in the wild, it is advisable to limit consumption or use alternative woods.