Cordia subcordata

Cordia subcordata is a species of flowering tree in the family Cordiaceae. It can be found growing in eastern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, northern Australia and the Pacific Islands. The plant is known by a variety of names, including kou, beach cordia, sea trumpet, and kerosene wood.

Description

A spreading shrub or tree, 2-15 m high. It spreads to 3-10 m across. The stem is erect and the bark is grey and slightly rough. It has cracks along its length. The leaves are broad and oval. They are 8-20 cm long and 5-15 cm wide. Sometimes they have 2 lobes near the base, making the leaf heart-shaped. On the lower surface of the leaf, there are fine hairs near the veins. The leaves are glossy green on top and paler underneath. The leaf stalks are long (3-5 cm). The flowers are orange. They form a tube 3.5-5 cm long and with 5-7 broad lobes which spread to 3-4 cm across. The flower heads are made up of 6-20 flowers, and they occur at the ends of branches. The fruit is 2-3 cm long, by 1.5-2.5 cm across. It is green or yellow. It hangs down and turns brown when ripe. There is a single seed inside, and it is 2-3 cm long. The fruit has a beak at the tip and an apple like texture, but fairly hard.

Edible Uses

The seeds are edible and have been eaten during famine. The wood of the tree has a specific gravity of 0.45, is soft, durable, easily worked, and resistant to termites. In ancient Hawaiʻi kou wood was used to make ʻumeke (bowls), utensils, and ʻumeke lāʻau (large calabashes) because it did not impart a foul taste to food. ʻUmeke lāʻau were 8–16 litres (2–4 gal) and used to store and ferment poi. The wood burns readily, and this led to the nickname of "kerosene tree" in Papua New Guinea. The flowers were used to make lei, while a dye for kapa cloth and aho (fishing lines) was derived from the leaves. Fijians obtain fibre to make baskets and garlands from its inner bark by soaking it in seawater. In the western Solomon Islands, in Vanuatu, on Waya Island, and in Tonga, it is used for carving. On New Ireland, its wood is always used for the ceremonial entrances to men's houses.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is eaten raw. It is also cooked and used as a vegetable. The seeds are eaten. The flowers are pickled or eaten as a vegetable.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The plant has medicinal uses. No further information.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows near beaches, above high tide level, in vine thickets. It is usually from sea level up to 30 m altitude. It can grow up to 150 m altitude. It needs well drained, moist soils, in an open sunny position. It needs full sun. It can grow on sandy and clay soils as well as limestone rocky places. It does best with a pH of 6.1-7.4. It can grow on salty soils. It is drought and frost tender. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, American Samoa, Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Caroline Islands, China, Chuuk, Comoros, Cook Islands, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, FSM, Guam, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Malesia*, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Polynesia, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Southern Africa, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, Yap,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. The seed needs to be sown fresh. Whole fruit can be sown or the ends can be clipped to quicken the germination. Hardened or woody fruit can be soaked for 24 hours before sowing. Seeds normally germinate in 3-4 weeks. Seedlings can be planted into the field after 6-8 months.

Propagation

Seed - seeds are reported to take 19 - 62 days to germinate, with about 25% of the seeds being viable. However, data from Indonesia show that viability may be as high as 90-100%, but seed collected from the ground showed 40-50% germination. The germination process can be sped up if the seed is first scarified by lightly abrading the seedcoat to allow easier ingress of water. Storage under ambient conditions reduces the viability from 60% initially to 40% after 7 months. It is recommended to sow the seeds 1.5-2 cm deep, pointing downwards. Seedlings should be watered sparingly.

Other Uses

A brown dye is obtained from the bark. A warm brown to red dye is obtained from older leaves. It is used to dye kapa. A fibre obtained from the bark is used for making clothes, hats, baskets etc. The wood is reported to burn fast and can easily be ignited by rubbing two pieces of wood together. The heartwood is pale brown to dark brown, often with a purplish tinge and dark brown to nearly black streaks; it is distinctly demarcated from the pale yellowish brown sapwood. The grain is usually interlocked; texture moderately fine; the wood rather glossy. The wood is moderately lightweight, though wood from Polynesia is said to be heavier; soft but durable and very resistant to termites. It is easy to saw and can be worked well with both hand and machine tools; it takes a good finish with nice lustre when a filler is used. It is used for light construction, beams and posts, wharves, cabinets, furniture, musical instruments, scabbards, tools, carvings, and fancy articles; also for veneer. Traditionally used to make plates, cups, bowls etc because the wood does not impart any flavour to the food. The wood is used for fuel in the Solomon Islands. The tre is planted as a windbreak and living fence, and also for coastal protection

Production

Young plants can grow rapidly. In Australia the tree flowers from February to March and fruits March to May.

Other Information

The seeds are eaten especially by children.

Notes

The tree had important cultural importance by people of the Pacific. There are about 300 Cordia species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Anau, Anda, Antafabory, Beach cordia, Cheng hua po bu mu, Galu, Ikoak, Ikoik, Ironwood, Island walnut, Jave, Kaani, Kalau, Kanau, Kanava, Kanaw, Kauni, Kaunibuka, Koa, Kono, Kou, Malmalsebuek, Mamalsebuet, Mankanai, Marer, Motou, Nawanawa, Niyoron, Pohon kalimasada, Puataukanave, Tauanave, Te kanawa, Thanat, Tou, Vaua asi

References (60)

• REFERENCES Cordia subcordata
• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 3551
• Barrau, J., 1976, Subsistence Agriculture in Melanesia. Bernice P. Bishop Museu, Bulletin 219 Honolulu Hawaii. Kraus reprint. p 53
• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 133
• Bindon, P., 1996, Useful Bush Plants. Western Australian Museum. p 90

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