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dragon's blood tree

Croton urucurana Baill.

Family: Euphorbiaceae · Genus: Croton

sangre de grado

Secondary I Medium Mulch biomass 🪓 Coppices after cutting
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Heliophyte pioneer tree typical of riparian forests and humid terrain across the Amazon, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest. Reaches 7–14 m and produces a reddish sap — hence the common name — used in traditional medicine. In syntropic systems it is irreplaceable in floodable areas and riparian-forest recovery.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, High
Biomass class
Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey, Silty
Hardiness zones
9–12

Morphology

Mature height
7–14 m
Recommended spacing
2.5–4 m
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Fast
Lifespan
20–40 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Dragon's blood tree takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I 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.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈14 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Propagated by seed. Tolerates waterlogged soils and grows fast in full sun. Excellent for streambanks, marshes, and degraded humid areas.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Resprouts readily after pruning. Use the woody biomass as mulch and leverage the pioneer phase to shade secondary and climax riparian species.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October

Fruiting months: October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

What spacing is recommended for dragon's blood tree?

The recommended spacing for dragon's blood tree is 2.5–4 m.

How tall does dragon's blood tree grow?

At maturity, dragon's blood tree reaches 7–14 m tall.

When does dragon's blood tree fruit?

Fruiting of dragon's blood tree occurs in October, November, December.

When does dragon's blood tree flower?

Flowering of dragon's blood tree occurs in August, September, October.

What stage and stratum does dragon's blood tree occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, dragon's blood tree belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🌿 Biomass producer 🪴 Nurse plant 🐝 Attracts pollinators 🍯 Melliferous Medicinal

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. IPÊ — Flora regional, Croton urucurana (height_min_m, height_max_m, ecological_role, biomes)
  2. Embrapa — Plantas medicinais do Centro-Oeste, Croton urucurana (functions, description)
  3. SAAE Itaúna — Árvore do mês: Sangra-d'água (common_names, description, phenology)
  4. Sítio da Mata — Sangra D'água (Croton urucurana) (light_need, waterlogging_tolerance, propagation, soil_texture_preference)

External references

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