Post by Trade facilitator on Nov 16, 2022 21:05:01 GMT 1
Molave Tree: What You Need To Know About One Of The Hardest Trees In The World Native To The Philippines
The molave tree, also known by the scientific name Vitex parviflora, is a plant species of the Verbenaceae family. This tree is commonly found in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. The molave tree is a medium to large tree that can grow up to 30 meters in height.
What kind of tree is Molave?
Molave is a flagship timber species in Bohol generally used for furniture, hand tools, and known for its durability as beams on bridges and as railroad ties without artificial preservatives. Molave is a medium to large tree attaining a diameter of 100 to 150 cm and a height from 25 to 30 m.
The molave tree has become recognized for its strong and durable wood. The molave has some of the hardest wood used for bridges, railroad ties and ship building. Although the tree can be found in various locations, use of the molave has become widespread in the Philippines. The bark and wood have curative qualities for poisonous bites and wounds also.
Molave tree (Vitex parviflora) Physical Characteristics:
Molave is a medium to large tree attaining a diameter of 100 to 150 centimeters and a height of 25 to 30 meters. In exceptional cases, it reaches a height of 35 meters or more and a diameter of 200 centimeters with a bole from 16 to 20 meters.
It is a tree that grows irregularly, short, crooked, and has a fluted bowl with thick, low, medium, to moderately large buttresses.
It is intolerant to shade and a light-loving species with a spreading crown. It partially or entirely sheds its leaves during the latter part of the dry season.
The leaves are typically opposite or whorled and mostly simple. The crown usually covers more than half of the total height of the tree with the main branches ascending.
The fruit dries, separating at maturity into 24 nutlets. The average number of seeds per fruit ranges from one to three. Its wood is lightly colored, deepening with age; hard to very hard; straight-grained to slightly interlocked or wavy; and fine to moderately fine-textured.
Distribution:
Molave is common in both secondary and open primary forests at low altitude throughout the Philippines in all or most islands and provinces. Thus, these forests are often called “molave forests”.
Method of Propagation: The plant can be propagated by seeds.
Contemporary Uses:
Molave, being one of the hardest woods, is used in railroad ties, ship-building, wagon-making, bridges, cabinet, carabao yokes, cog-wheels, inserted cogs, saltwater piles, plane stocks, sugar mills, sculpture, and carving wooden tools, tool handles, novelties, agricultural implements, and high-grade construction where strength and durability are required.
Leaves are used as fodder. It is resistant to fungal, termite, and lyctus beetle attack, but not to marine borers.
The wood often takes on a yellowish-green or greenish-brown tint when boiled in water. A yellow resin exudes when the wood is treated with lime. When shavings are soaked in water, a yellow extract is obtained.
Molave has been suggested for shelterbelts and already planted in reforestation projects in the Philippines.
Traditional Uses:
Its wood and bark have curative effects on wounds and poisonous bites. The leaves are used to feed cattle, carabaos, and goats, especially during the dry season when rangelands are somewhat barren. Wood extract is considered a good remedy for poisons, as a dose of it will induce vomiting. The extract can also be used in treating diarrhea, jaundice, and dropsy.
How to plant your Molave seedling:
Clear the area where you want to plant your seedling with unwanted weeds and debris. Make sure that a one-meter radius is kept free from other vegetation.
Dig a plant hole with dimensions of at least 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. Plant the seedling at proper depth. Root collar should be at level with or a little below the ground surface with the seedling oriented upward.
Fill the hole with top or garden soil and press soil firmly around the base of the seedling. In plantation-making, seedlings should maintain a two-meter distance between seedlings if planted in a row of a three-meter distance from one strip to the next strip.
How to take care of your Molave seedling:
Remove grass and other unwanted vegetation and cultivate the soil around the base of the seedling (50 cm radius) once in every quarter for two to three years.
Place mulch around the base of the seedling (maintaining the 50 cm radius and using cut grass, leaves, and other suitable materials as mulch base).
Prune the branches at most 50 percent of the crown depth, preferably during dry season, and ensure that when pruning, you do not injure the bark.
Remove infected or infested vegetation nearby to stop plant diseases from spreading and contaminating your seedling. Monitor regularly the growth of the seedling for the presence of pests and diseases.
This tree has very wonderful properties and characteristics but can it be planted in Nigeria, if yes, where can it grow well?
This and other facts we will talk about in our next article on molave trees.
Stay with us.
Our company is one of the best Agro-Export Business companies in Nigeria today. We train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
What Is a Molave Tree?
The molave tree, also known by the scientific name Vitex parviflora, is a plant species of the Verbenaceae family. This tree is commonly found in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. The molave tree is a medium to large tree that can grow up to 30 meters in height.
What kind of tree is Molave?
Molave is a flagship timber species in Bohol generally used for furniture, hand tools, and known for its durability as beams on bridges and as railroad ties without artificial preservatives. Molave is a medium to large tree attaining a diameter of 100 to 150 cm and a height from 25 to 30 m.
The molave tree has become recognized for its strong and durable wood. The molave has some of the hardest wood used for bridges, railroad ties and ship building. Although the tree can be found in various locations, use of the molave has become widespread in the Philippines. The bark and wood have curative qualities for poisonous bites and wounds also.
Molave tree (Vitex parviflora) Physical Characteristics:
Molave is a medium to large tree attaining a diameter of 100 to 150 centimeters and a height of 25 to 30 meters. In exceptional cases, it reaches a height of 35 meters or more and a diameter of 200 centimeters with a bole from 16 to 20 meters.
It is a tree that grows irregularly, short, crooked, and has a fluted bowl with thick, low, medium, to moderately large buttresses.
It is intolerant to shade and a light-loving species with a spreading crown. It partially or entirely sheds its leaves during the latter part of the dry season.
The leaves are typically opposite or whorled and mostly simple. The crown usually covers more than half of the total height of the tree with the main branches ascending.
The fruit dries, separating at maturity into 24 nutlets. The average number of seeds per fruit ranges from one to three. Its wood is lightly colored, deepening with age; hard to very hard; straight-grained to slightly interlocked or wavy; and fine to moderately fine-textured.
Distribution:
Molave is common in both secondary and open primary forests at low altitude throughout the Philippines in all or most islands and provinces. Thus, these forests are often called “molave forests”.
Method of Propagation: The plant can be propagated by seeds.
Contemporary Uses:
Molave, being one of the hardest woods, is used in railroad ties, ship-building, wagon-making, bridges, cabinet, carabao yokes, cog-wheels, inserted cogs, saltwater piles, plane stocks, sugar mills, sculpture, and carving wooden tools, tool handles, novelties, agricultural implements, and high-grade construction where strength and durability are required.
Leaves are used as fodder. It is resistant to fungal, termite, and lyctus beetle attack, but not to marine borers.
The wood often takes on a yellowish-green or greenish-brown tint when boiled in water. A yellow resin exudes when the wood is treated with lime. When shavings are soaked in water, a yellow extract is obtained.
Molave has been suggested for shelterbelts and already planted in reforestation projects in the Philippines.
Traditional Uses:
Its wood and bark have curative effects on wounds and poisonous bites. The leaves are used to feed cattle, carabaos, and goats, especially during the dry season when rangelands are somewhat barren. Wood extract is considered a good remedy for poisons, as a dose of it will induce vomiting. The extract can also be used in treating diarrhea, jaundice, and dropsy.
How to plant your Molave seedling:
Clear the area where you want to plant your seedling with unwanted weeds and debris. Make sure that a one-meter radius is kept free from other vegetation.
Dig a plant hole with dimensions of at least 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. Plant the seedling at proper depth. Root collar should be at level with or a little below the ground surface with the seedling oriented upward.
Fill the hole with top or garden soil and press soil firmly around the base of the seedling. In plantation-making, seedlings should maintain a two-meter distance between seedlings if planted in a row of a three-meter distance from one strip to the next strip.
How to take care of your Molave seedling:
Remove grass and other unwanted vegetation and cultivate the soil around the base of the seedling (50 cm radius) once in every quarter for two to three years.
Place mulch around the base of the seedling (maintaining the 50 cm radius and using cut grass, leaves, and other suitable materials as mulch base).
Prune the branches at most 50 percent of the crown depth, preferably during dry season, and ensure that when pruning, you do not injure the bark.
Remove infected or infested vegetation nearby to stop plant diseases from spreading and contaminating your seedling. Monitor regularly the growth of the seedling for the presence of pests and diseases.
This tree has very wonderful properties and characteristics but can it be planted in Nigeria, if yes, where can it grow well?
This and other facts we will talk about in our next article on molave trees.
Stay with us.
Our company is one of the best Agro-Export Business companies in Nigeria today. We train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
