Carapa surinamensis — an easy houseplant, prefers full sun light
SPECIMEN · FROM THE LIBRARY
Carapa surinamensis

Carapa Surinamensis

Updated · 16 observations
ON THIS PLANT
A note from PlantMom

African crabwood exhibits strong resistance to disease and is generally not susceptible to illnesses. As for maintenance, this species is fairly low-maintenance. When grown outdoors it needs only light watering, and larger specimens typically do not require pruning. Smaller plants should be pruned after they finish flowering. African crabwood is well suited to anyone with an outdoor area, such as a garden or deck, and does not call for extensive care experience.

— PlantMom
CARE GUIDE

How to keep Carapa Surinamensis.

Light

African crabwood comes from open habitats, like sunny meadows and forest margins, where light is plentiful. It does best in full sun but can endure partial sun, showing good adaptability to different light levels.

Temperature

African crabwood comes from tropical areas where the climate is generally warm and humid. Consequently, it is well suited to high temperatures and humidity. It dislikes sudden temperature changes and prefers a steady thermal environment, so it is important to prevent temperature fluctuations indoors. It typically cannot tolerate cold and needs warmer conditions to grow. If the ambient temperature falls too low, the plant may stop growing or even die.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing is essential for caring for African crabwood. Regular feeding during the growing season maintains the energy required for its showy leaves and supports overall growth. If fertilization is neglected, leaves can become unhealthy, the plant’s ornamental value can decline, and growth may be stunted or weak and prone to breaking.

CHARACTERISTICS

Botanical profile.

Plant Type
Tree
Life Cycle
Perennial
Genus
Carapa
Family
Meliaceae
Hardiness Zone
10-12
Mature Height
6.1 m to 24.38 m
Mature Spread
49 cm to 76 cm
Leaf Color
Dark Green
Leaf Type
Evergreen
Flower Color
White
Flower Size
0.51 cm to 1.02 cm
Bloom Time
Late spring, Summer, Early fall, Mid fall
Planting Time
Summer, Autumn
Harvest Time
Fall, Winter
Native Area
Burkina Faso, Angola, Rwanda, Nigeria, Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Uganda, Benin, Mali, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Brazil, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic
ALSO KNOWN AS

Other names.

en Carapa
PLATES
Carapa surinamensis bark
PLATE 01 · bark
Carapa surinamensis bark
PLATE 02 · bark
Carapa surinamensis habit
PLATE 03 · habit
Carapa surinamensis habit
PLATE 04 · habit
Carapa surinamensis other
PLATE 05 · other
Carapa surinamensis other
PLATE 06 · other
ALSO IN THE LIBRARY

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