Skip to content
sintropia.club
PT EN

Plants

tonka bean

Dipteryx odorata (Aubl.) Willd.

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Dipteryx

cumaru

Climax Emergent Mulch biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer
vincentvosriberalta · CC BY · Wikimedia Commons

Emergent Amazonian tree (15–30 m), relative of baru (Dipteryx alata, already in canon but Cerrado). Seeds (beans) with intense vanilla-coumarin aroma, base of perfumery and flavorings. Extremely dense valuable timber. Traditionally extractive — threatened by overharvesting.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Climax
Ecological role
Climax
Primary stratum
Emergent
Strata
Emergent, High
Biomass class
Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Soil pH range
4.5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
11–13

Morphology

Mature height
15–30 m
Recommended spacing
8–12 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
80–300 years
Time to first harvest
120 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Tonka bean takes the Emergent stratum in the Climax phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

Emergent · ≈30 m High Medium Low Ground cover

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October, November

Fruiting months: May, June, July, August

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of tonka bean?

The first harvest of tonka bean comes around 120 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for tonka bean?

The recommended spacing for tonka bean is 8–12 m.

How tall does tonka bean grow?

At maturity, tonka bean reaches 15–30 m tall.

When does tonka bean fruit?

Fruiting of tonka bean occurs in May, June, July, August.

When does tonka bean flower?

Flowering of tonka bean occurs in August, September, October, November.

What stage and stratum does tonka bean occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, tonka bean belongs to the climax stage, occupying the emergent stratum.

Does tonka bean fix nitrogen?

Yes — tonka bean is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

Timber Aromatic 🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous 🌿 Biomass producer

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Useful Tropical Plants — Dipteryx odorata (ph_min, ph_max, light_need, root_system, root_depth, nitrogen_fixer, soil_texture_preference, height_max_m)
  2. PFAF Plant Database — Dipteryx odorata (Tonka Bean) (ph_min, ph_max, light_need, drought_tolerance)
  3. GBIF — Dipteryx odorata (Aubl.) Willd. (accepted, key 2947137); POWO / Kew (external_ids)

External references

Continue exploring

Related plants