Lauraceae
Laurel espada
Ocotea floribunda
Also known as Yucca, Ocotea arenaensis, Ocotea multiglandulosa, Ocotea wachenheimii
Tropical Plants · Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Trees & Shrubs · Tropical · Tree · Lauraceae · South-America · Canopy · Humid · Rainforest · Specialist · Evergreen · Rare
Laurel espada is a tropical canopy tree native to South American rainforests that requires a warm, humid environment and consistent moisture to thrive. It prefers partial shade when young, transitioning to brighter conditions as it matures, and does best in rich, well-draining soil with regular watering. This is a specialist plant best suited to large tropical gardens or botanical collections in frost-free climates.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 5 hours
- Watering
- Water thoroughly until soil is evenly moist; do not allow to dry out completely · Every 7-10 days
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7.5
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 4 ft
- Spread
- 4 ft
- Spacing
- 120 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- Yes
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Argentina Northeast, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay
- Attracts
- Bees, Birds
Sources: trefle
More Ocotea
Related plants from the same genus
Buy this plant
No nurseries currently list it
No nursery lists Laurel espada right now.