Biome
Plants of the Cerrado biome
A marked dry season over deep, acidic soils: in the Cerrado, guild design starts with water — plant at the onset of the rains, mulch generously, and pick species that cross the dry winter without irrigation. Many biome natives produce well in syntropic systems, alongside well-established suitable species.
204 species in the catalog · Refine this list in the catalog
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soybean
Glycine max
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual nitrogen-fixing legume (associates with Bradyrhizobium japonicum) — tall varieties Sambaíba and Tracajá were tested by Rebello & Sakamoto (2...
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West Indian elm
Guazuma ulmifolia
Secondary I High Mulch biomassFast-growing pioneer tree native to the Cerrado, Pantanal, and Atlantic Forest. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and in the 10–20 ye...
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mangaba
Hancornia speciosa
Secondary II MediumEvergreen to semi-deciduous tree 2–10 m tall, characteristic of Brazilian Cerrado and coastal tablelands. Considered one of Brazil's priority 'Plan...
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yellow trumpet tree
Handroanthus albus
Climax Emergent Mulch biomassLong-cycle climax with premium timber. Characteristic of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Spectacular winter bloom.
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pink lapacho
Handroanthus impetiginosus
Climax Emergent Mulch biomassEmergent tree native to Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Amazon, and Pantanal. Reaches 20–35 m in the wild, 8–12 m in cultivation. Vivid magenta...
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roselle
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Placenta II Medium Mulch biomassAn annual or short-lived subshrub in the Malvaceae, native to Africa and cultivated throughout the tropics. The fleshy red calyces are used to make...
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jatoba
Hymenaea courbaril
Climax Emergent Mulch biomassTropical climax with extremely dense timber; fruit pulp is edible. Common in syntropic abundance systems.
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Cerrado jatobá
Hymenaea stigonocarpa
Climax HighDeciduous leguminous tree 5–20 m tall, typical of open cerrado and campo-cerrado on well-drained soils. Unlike most Fabaceae, it does not form N-fi...
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ice cream bean
Inga edulis
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerEssential nitrogen fixer in syntropic systems. Coppices readily after drastic pruning and produces large volumes of fertilizer biomass.
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river inga
Inga vera
Secondary I Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerA pioneer leguminous tree native to the Neotropics, 5-10 m tall, with a broad low crown, frequent in secondary formations of humid or swampy soil, ...
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sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionShort-cycle creeping tuber crop. Pasini lists it in the low stratum of Tabela 3. Excellent living ground cover early in the agroforestry cycle, edi...
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lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Placenta I Low No biomass productionAnnual leafy vegetable cultivated in syntropic systems in the low stratum of the Placenta I phase. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela ...
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pacari
Lafoensia pacari
Climax Medium No biomass productionCerrado and Pantanal native tree, listed by EcoAgri in the medium stratum of the '> 50 years' bin. Bark traditionally used as a wound-healing and a...
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bay laurel
Laurus nobilis
Secondary II Medium No biomass productionMediterranean medium tree (4–10 m), evergreen leathery leaves — basis of tea, seasoning, and ornamental use. Occupies low/medium stratum in souther...
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leucaena
Leucaena leucocephala
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerFast-growing nitrogen-fixing tree legume with strong coppicing ability. Cited by Pasini as a tree-form fertilizer biomass species — sources fertili...
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Brazilian ironwood
Libidibia ferrea
Secondary II High Fertilizer & mulchLeguminous tree occurring in Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Sun-tolerant and melliferous.
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açoita-cavalo
Luehea divaricata
Secondary II High Mulch biomassSemi-deciduous native tree of southern Brazil, typical of riparian forests and secondary growth. A forestry species of the Embrapa Vitrine SAF, pla...
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rosa mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High No biomass productionTraditional Brazilian cultivar with medium tree (8–10 m). Yellow-to-pink fruit (350 g), golden-yellow flesh of excellent flavor (21.8° Brix), low f...
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tommy atkins mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High No biomass productionDominant cultivar in Brazil's mango export trade (~90% of volume). Origin: Florida (1922). Vigorous tree (10–14 m unpruned), dense rounded canopy. ...
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coquinho mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High No biomass productionMedium-sized cultivar (6–9 m), branched canopy. Small round fruit (120–150 g), light yellow-green skin, fibrous flesh with good flavor. Highly prod...
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uba mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High Mulch biomassBrazilian cultivar originating in Ubá (Minas Gerais). Vigorous tree with dense rounded canopy (10–14 m). Small fruit (50–80 g), late ripening, inte...
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haden mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High No biomass productionFlorida heirloom (1910), pioneer of the modern mango era. Large tree (10–12 m), predominantly yellow oval fruit with pink blush, 350–680 g, low fib...
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palmer mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II High No biomass productionSemi-dwarf cultivar from Florida (1945). Open canopy, 6–8 m. Elongated fruit, 600–800 g, firm yellow flesh, 21.6° Brix, almost fiber-free. Late rip...
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espada mango
Mangifera indica
Secondary II Emergent Mulch biomassBrazil's oldest mango cultivar. Vigorous tall tree (12–15 m), green-to-yellow fruit with fibrous flesh (300 g, 18° Brix). Today used more as rootst...
❓ Frequently asked questions
What characterizes the Cerrado biome?
Tropical savanna of central Brazil — the most biodiverse savanna on Earth. Pronounced dry season (4–6 months), deep acidic soils, fire integrated into species dynamics. Cerrado species typically have deep roots, thick bark, and tolerance to fire and drought — valuable traits for systems in seasonal climates.
Which plants does the catalog suggest for the Cerrado biome?
The catalog holds 204 species, among them soybean, West Indian elm, mangaba. Each profile shows stratum, succession stage, and the management data, with sources cited.