Description
Bitter wood, picrasma, Jamaican quassia
Quassia amara is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it: the Surinamese freedman Graman Quassi.
Plant Specifications
| Common Name | Bitter wood, picrasma, Jamaican quassia |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 50.00 to 80.00 feet |
| Flower Colour | Green |
| Bloom Time | April to May |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Where temperatures stay below freezing during winter, enclose the plant with a sturdy mesh cylinder, filling the enclosure with compost, mulch, dry wood chips, pine needles, or chopped leaves.Don, t use heavy, wet, maple leaves for mulch. Mulch instead with oak leaves, pine needles, compost, or straw.
Quassia amara care
Plants prefer a near-neutral pH range of 5.5,7.0. A pH of 6.5 is just about right for most home gardens (slightly acidic to neutral).An accurate soil test will tell you where your pH currently stands. Acidic (sour) soil is counteracted by applying finely ground limestone, and alkaline (sweet) soil is treated with ground sulfur.
| Sunlight | Full sun to part shade |
| Watering | Medium to wet |
| Soil | Well-drained soil |
| Temperature | 30 to 40 degrees C |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
Quassia amara special feature
A tall ornamental shade tree for large properties and parks. Wood is strong and has been used in the past for yokes, wheels, tool handles, ladders and furniture. Wood is also used as firewood.
Quassia amara uses
Ornamental Use:
- The plant is used for ornamental purpose
Medicinal Use:
- The wood is used as medicine
- Quassia is used for treating an eating disorder called anorexia, indigestion, constipation, and fever
- It is also used to rid the intestines of various kinds of worms; as a tonic or purgative; and as a mouthwash
- The bark and wood have been used as an insecticide