Tipuana tipu is a large and fast-growing semi-deciduous tree that can reach 30m in height. Its massive spreading branches can reach up to 20m wide, making it a perfect shade tree.
It can be easily identified by its lush greenery of compound leaves and the showy, pea-shaped, golden-yellow flowers that bloom from late spring to early summer.
Tipuana tipu Scientific Classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Tracheophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Fabales
- Family: Fabaceae
- Genus: Tipuana
- Species: Tipuana tipu
- Common Names: Tipa, Pride of Bolivia, Rosewood, Tipuana tree, Yellow jacaranda, Race-horse tree, Palo rosa, and Brazilian rosewood.
Nativity & Distribution
The Tipu tree is native to South America, including:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Bolivia
- Uruguay
- Paraguay
It is also widely distributed in worldwide and can be found in:
- Australia
- South Africa
- Kenya
- Uganda
- Tanzania
- USA
- Israel
- Zimbabwe
- Parts of Europe
- Western Asia
- Mediterranean
- Micronesia
Physical Characteristics
- Leaves: Small compound leaves that are alternately arranged in pairs.
- Fruits: A winged, flat seed pod resembling the samara fruit.
- Stems: Thick, woody stem with a rough and fissured bark.
- Flowers: Yellow to orange pea-shaped flowers borne in clusters at the tip of branches.
- Roots: Shallow but very aggressive root system.
Tipuana tipu is a large, spreading semi-deciduous tree that can reach 20-30 meters in height with wide branches forming a large canopy. You can quickly identify the plant with its showy golden yellow to orange flowers that bloom in clusters.
Its single cylindrical stem can reach 150cm in diameter, producing strong, whitish, and fibrous timber. The trunk’s bark is reddish-brown but can become grey and cracked with age.
The tipu tree has light green, compound leaves, with about 9-29 leaflets in pairs and a single leaflet at the terminal. The leaflets (except for the terminal leaflet) are arranged alternately along the stem and are borne on short stalks about 15-20mm long.
The leaflets are elliptical to oblong and have a notched or rounded tip. Each leaflet measures about 2.5-7cm long and 1.3-2.3cm wide.
The flowers are borne in showy clusters at the tips of the branches. They are golden yellow (sometimes bright orange), pea-shaped, and measure about 5-11cm long and 2cm in diameter.
The plant also bears flat, winged fruit pods that are yellow-green before turning grey-brown when mature. Each pod contains about one to three reddish seeds.
Reproduction, Dispersal, & Life Cycle
- Life Cycle: A semi-deciduous perennial tree.
- Seeds: It produces sexually through seeds and can produce up to 10,000 seeds.
- Climate: Grows well in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates.
- Dispersal: Wind and water (when the plant is close to waterways)
Tipuana tipu is a semi-deciduous perennial plant. It is a prolific seeder, with a single tree producing up to 10,000 seeds, many of which end up germinating.
The seeds have a high germination rate on the soil surface and will quickly take root when exposed to light and moisture. They can also germinate when covered in shallow soil with adequate moisture and light.
The Tipu tree seeds are mostly dispersed by wind, courtesy of the plant’s winged fruit pods, which spin in the wind as they fall. Depending on the wind velocity and the tree’s height, the seeds can be carried a considerable distance from the mother plant.
Uses
- Used for shade (due to its large canopy), shelter, and as a windbreak.
- Produces quality timber for finishes, furniture, cabinetry, construction, and pole-making.
- Source of firewood and can be used in charcoal production.
- An ornamental tree that can improve the appeal of the landscape with its showy flowers, lush forage, and unique-looking seed pods.
- Improves the soil – fixes atmospheric oxygen while the fallen flowers offer organic matter for the soil.
- Can be used for soil erosion control or reforestation programs (due to its fast-growing nature).
- Produces a red resin from the bark that can be used as a dye.
Impact on Farms and Environment
Tipuana tipu is considered an invasive species in several places like South Africa and Australia.
Its prolific seeding, long-range dispersal, high germination rate, and fast growth rate allow it to quickly overtake new areas. The plant is also highly tolerant to harsh conditions and can withstand cold temperatures (below 0°C) and saline soils.
The tipu tree also has aggressively growing roots, which can lift concrete and asphalt and cause considerable damage to sewer pipes, buildings, swimming pools, and other structures.
The tree’s large canopies can also damage power lines. Its shallow roots make it easy for it to be uprooted, which can damage nearby structures during storms.
Control
- Natural methods: Hand-pulling, digging out, or cutting down small plants before they turn into a tree.
- Cultural control: Cattle can graze on new seedlings, which can greatly reduce the population of the tree.
- Chemical control: Can be eradicated with herbicides like Fluroxypyr, Glyphosate, and Glyphosate + Metsulfuron-methyl.
The best way to control the Tipu tree is through prevention. The plant mostly grows in disturbed areas such as creekbanks, roadsides, and grazing sites. Therefore, planting cover crops in these areas can prevent infestation.
If prevention is not possible, the next best thing is eradicating the tree before it starts seeding. Several techniques, such as cattle grazing, hand-pulling young plants, and repeated cutting, can help in this endeavour.
You can also control the Tipu tree by applying herbicides like Glyphosate and Fluroxypyr through basal bark, foliar spray, cut stump, stem injection and basal bark techniques.
Unfortunately, mature, full-grown trees are much harder to control. Therefore, you should consult an expert tree removal or weed control specialist to help remove the tree(s).
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.