Guanacaste (Ear Pod Tree) - Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Guanacaste is a fast-growing nitrogen fixing tree that makes for an excellent canopy tree in a tropical/subtropical food forest. A true multi purpose tree, the Guanacaste provides a long list of benefits and uses:
Nitrogen fixing capabilities provides long-term fertility for plants around it
Foliage is light and feathery, providing sunlight to penetrate to understory plants
Drought tolerant once established
Resprouts vigorously after pruning and bounces back from frost damage readily
Young seedpods and mature seeds are edible (can be fed to livestock)
The pulp in the seedpods is high in saponins and can be used to make soap
Highly prized timber for wood working
Beautiful seeds can be used to make crafts/jewelry
The Guanacaste tree is the National Tree of Costa Rica and is beloved by many in the tropics. These seeds are hand harvested from giant, beautiful trees during our travels to Honduras.
Germination Notes: Guanacaste seed coats are extremely hard and thick and require scarification to germinate quickly. We scarify our seeds by pouring hot (not boiling) water on them and letting them sit overnight. The seeds that are visibly swollen have been successfully scarified and are ready for planting. The ones that remain soak in a fresh batch of hot water until they start to swell.
Enterolobium cyclocarpum - 10 seeds
Guanacaste is a fast-growing nitrogen fixing tree that makes for an excellent canopy tree in a tropical/subtropical food forest. A true multi purpose tree, the Guanacaste provides a long list of benefits and uses:
Nitrogen fixing capabilities provides long-term fertility for plants around it
Foliage is light and feathery, providing sunlight to penetrate to understory plants
Drought tolerant once established
Resprouts vigorously after pruning and bounces back from frost damage readily
Young seedpods and mature seeds are edible (can be fed to livestock)
The pulp in the seedpods is high in saponins and can be used to make soap
Highly prized timber for wood working
Beautiful seeds can be used to make crafts/jewelry
The Guanacaste tree is the National Tree of Costa Rica and is beloved by many in the tropics. These seeds are hand harvested from giant, beautiful trees during our travels to Honduras.
Germination Notes: Guanacaste seed coats are extremely hard and thick and require scarification to germinate quickly. We scarify our seeds by pouring hot (not boiling) water on them and letting them sit overnight. The seeds that are visibly swollen have been successfully scarified and are ready for planting. The ones that remain soak in a fresh batch of hot water until they start to swell.
Enterolobium cyclocarpum - 10 seeds
Guanacaste is a fast-growing nitrogen fixing tree that makes for an excellent canopy tree in a tropical/subtropical food forest. A true multi purpose tree, the Guanacaste provides a long list of benefits and uses:
Nitrogen fixing capabilities provides long-term fertility for plants around it
Foliage is light and feathery, providing sunlight to penetrate to understory plants
Drought tolerant once established
Resprouts vigorously after pruning and bounces back from frost damage readily
Young seedpods and mature seeds are edible (can be fed to livestock)
The pulp in the seedpods is high in saponins and can be used to make soap
Highly prized timber for wood working
Beautiful seeds can be used to make crafts/jewelry
The Guanacaste tree is the National Tree of Costa Rica and is beloved by many in the tropics. These seeds are hand harvested from giant, beautiful trees during our travels to Honduras.
Germination Notes: Guanacaste seed coats are extremely hard and thick and require scarification to germinate quickly. We scarify our seeds by pouring hot (not boiling) water on them and letting them sit overnight. The seeds that are visibly swollen have been successfully scarified and are ready for planting. The ones that remain soak in a fresh batch of hot water until they start to swell.
Enterolobium cyclocarpum - 10 seeds