Sand box tree
Sablier, Assacou, Arbre à dauphin, Bois-diable, Pet du diable, Noyer d'Amérique, Buis de sable, Bombardier, Repas de cloche singe, sandbox, sandbox tree, ajuapar, monkey no climb, Aubier de Ochoó, Possumwood, Jabillo, monkey's dinner-bell, sand-box tree, possum wood, dynamite tree, Monkey no-climb, monkey pistol, Ochoo, arbol del Diablo, acacu, monkey's dinner-bell, habillo, ceiba de leche, sand-box tree, possum wood, dynamite tree, ceiba blanca, assacu, posentri, wasaku, tenway, açacú, asi, waga, la, …
Family
EUPHORBIACEAE
Origin
Tropical America
Description
Sandbox tree is a tropical tree that reaches a height of 90 to 130 feet, with a spiny trunk and spreading branches.
Tree has beautiful seed pods that look like tangerines made out of wood. When the seed pods are perfectly ripe, the individual segments, which are the separate seeds, burst apart making a sharp cracking sound like a pistol being fired.
The long-stemmed, leaves are papery thin, heart-shaped and up to 2 feet long. It has red flowers.
Blooming from january to July.
Habitat
Cultivated or sandy or swampy coastline (Altitude 0-50m)
Propagation
Seeds
Culture and care
It likes partial to full sun, moist soil, sandy or loam.
Can resist up to 12ºF
Use
Toxicity
Toxic latex
- Ornemental use
Very nice tree. Can be planted as a single plant.
- Other uses
Handcraft, sand-box. The wood is used locally in light construction, and for dugouts.
Burning wood repels insects.
Etymology
The Hura name comes from the Arawak and crepitans, creaking, rattling, present participle of crepo, crepare, crepui, crepitum (as
the seeds in the pod of the sandbox tree, Hura crepitans)
Ethnology
The plant secretes a yellowish milky juice used by Amerindians to poison darts, fishing and treat snake bites.
Anecdotes
This pumpkins shape fruit was once used for holding fine dry sand used for blotting ink before the introduction of blotting paper, hence the common name "sand box tree.”