Cecropia peltata

[KarenRei]

Holy cecropia, Batman! (sorry to wake this thread)...

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-84042000000200003

The estimates of individual growth rates obtained here are in the range obtained by Schupp (1987) for Cecropia obtusifolia (between 0.05 and 2.00 m.yr-1), but are low compared with the growth rates obtained for C. peltata (1.0 to 10.6 m.yr-1) and C. obtusifolia (0.7 to 12.4 m.yr-1) in Costa Rica (Davis 1970), for C. insignis (4.9 m.yr-1) in Barro Colorado (Brokaw 1987) and for C. obtusa (0.14 to 6.52 m.yr-1) in Carajás, PA, Northern Brazil (F.A.M. Santos & J.D. Hay, unpublished data).

Up to 10,6m/year for C. peltata and up to 12,4m/year for C. obtusifolia?  That can't be right, can it?  12,4 meters in one year?  Over 40 feet?  What sort of radioactive waste are they dumping down there in Costa Rica? 

I imagine they get to bearing age pretty quickly with that kind of bonkers growth rate...

ED: Found another reference which says that normal growth is 10-15sm in the first 10 weeks and 2m in the first year.  Given that the tree can top out as high as 30m, maybe the second or third year growth is faster. But nonetheless, those reported growth rates are just insane...

[pineislander]

They are rather flimsy hollow branches, almost herbaceous. Used for making flutes. The high rate could be after coppice.

[KarenRei]

They are rather flimsy hollow branches, almost herbaceous. Used for making flutes. The high rate could be after coppice.

So they tolerate coppice?  What's a normal growth rate in your experience in a good environment?

[TerraFrutisEcuador]

In Ecuador we have various cecropia, 10m a year seems possible, typical would be 5 meters from seedling etc. there are some other weed trees that can show similar growth also. 6-10 meters a year is not unusual fr9m weed trees.

[KarenRei]

In Ecuador we have various cecropia, 10m a year seems possible, typical would be 5 meters from seedling etc. there are some other weed trees that can show similar growth also. 6-10 meters a year is not unusual fr9m weed trees.

That's amazing; the only other (non-bamboo) plant I'm aware of that can grow like that is moringa, and that's even impressive for moringa.

Any other "weed trees" that have fruit / appearance that might make them worthy of growing?

[Guanabanus]

I can't cite any specific growth rates for Inga species, but they are pretty fast, and are sometimes used as "nurse" trees, to provide shade for tender seedlings.

[KarenRei]

I can't cite any specific growth rates for Inga species, but they are pretty fast, and are sometimes used as "nurse" trees, to provide shade for tender seedlings.

The (limited, anecdotal) evidence I've come across for Ingas shows about 2m/year for most species, and about 1m/year for slower-growing species like I. vulpina.  But that could be wrong, so if anyone has better data, please let me know.   

[TerraFrutisEcuador]

The weed trees produce Nothing special really. I notice one of them decays very rapidly, leaves turn black when dried and that’s all, they produced good amounts of mulch.

Anyhow here is a photo of a young cecropia seedling maybe 6 months old. There is another I see often about 2-3 years old a coppiced cecropia that I have seen grow at least 4 meters a year with 3 branches.

In Ecuador we have various cecropia, 10m a year seems possible, typical would be 5 meters from seedling etc. there are some other weed trees that can show similar growth also. 6-10 meters a year is not unusual fr9m weed trees.

That's amazing; the only other (non-bamboo) plant I'm aware of that can grow like that is moringa, and that's even impressive for moringa.

Any other "weed trees" that have fruit / appearance that might make them worthy of growing?

[KarenRei]

The weed trees produce Nothing special really. I notice one of them decays very rapidly, leaves turn black when dried and that’s all, they produced good amounts of mulch.

Are you saying that you don't like the taste or the texture of the fruit, or that they don't yield much fruit for you?  While I've never seen anyone rank it as a top notch fruit, most of the reviews of it on this site aren't that bad - usually along the lines of watery raisins, licorice, "slimy figs but in a good way", etc.  Kumu Aina Farms has a recipe for a sort of "mock fig jam" from them:

[pineislander]

This is the fruit of the female Cecropia peltata--- absolutely syrrupy delicious in dry weather, quickly fermented in wet.

Har is spot on here in SW Florida last years season started early enough in dry springtime that fruit was great. This year rainy season came one month earlier than usual and all fruit fermented too quickly to develop and is sliding off to ground. It was probably far worse in SEFL as they got much more rain. So, in your greenhouse culture you might grow this is in a "dry" zone or perhaps control humidity while fruiting.

[KarenRei]

This is the fruit of the female Cecropia peltata--- absolutely syrrupy delicious in dry weather, quickly fermented in wet.

Har is spot on here in SW Florida last years season started early enough in dry springtime that fruit was great. This year rainy season came one month earlier than usual and all fruit fermented too quickly to develop and is sliding off to ground. It was probably far worse in SEFL as they got much more rain. So, in your greenhouse culture you might grow this is in a "dry" zone or perhaps control humidity while fruiting.

Interesting - so they grow in either wet or dry climates, but the fruit ferments quickly in wet climates?  Important detail, that!  Is it a "water on the fruit" issue, or a "humidity in the air" issue, do you know?

[pineislander]

I don't know which, but once the rains begin they just slide off and splat on the ground.

[Guanabanus]

They also ferment from high humidity, or, at least, from dew.  And during prolonged cloudy weather they don't get fully sweetened.