PINK LAPACHO: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, USES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus) is a tall deciduous tree species belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. Known as cortez negro in Costa Rica, xmaculís or maculís in Yucatán, tajy hu in Paraguay, and ocobo in Colombia, it is a native species of South America.

It is a tree over 30 m high with a profusely branched straight trunk with fissured bark and a greyish-brown color. Its foliage, arranged in an irregular way, is made up of leaves with five slightly velvety leaflets, and its crown is oval in shape.

Pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus). Source: mauroguanandi

It is characterized by its attractive flowering of pinkish tones, being widely used as an ornamental plant in squares, parks and gardens. Indeed, during the spring, devoid of foliage, it displays its attractive flowers, turning its crown into an immense bunch of extraordinary beauty.

This species grows exclusively in full sun exposure, in hot and temperate climates, on fertile, porous and well-drained soils. It is considered a very resistant plant to the incidence of pests and diseases, which does not tolerate frost and requires frequent watering.

Its compact, hard and resistant wood has a high content of tannins and is used mainly for construction. On the other hand, it has various active components that provide it with medicinal properties such as analgesic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antifungal, diuretic or laxative.

General characteristics

Appearance

It is a tall deciduous tree that reaches 30 m in height and is widely branched from the middle third. The straight and cylindrical stem reaches up to 80 cm thick, it is covered by a grayish, thick and deeply striated bark.

The strong primary and secondary branches in ascending position start from the main stem at a height of 8-10 m. The hemispherical shaped crown is characterized by concentrating its foliage at the top.

Foliage

The palmate, opposite and petiolate leaves are regularly formed by 5-7 leaflets with slightly toothed margins. The elliptical and lanceolate leaflets are 6-12 cm long by 5-6 cm wide and are supported by long petioles.

The dull green leaves in the lower half have entire margins and slightly serrated in the upper half. In addition, its leaves present abundant hairs at the angle of union between the middle and secondary veins.

Flowers of the pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus). Source: JMGarg

flowers

The large tubular hermaphroditic flowers are usually pink, purple or magenta, exceptionally white. They are 4-6 cm long and are divided into 5 curly lobes with a yellow center and fine reddish streaks.

The flowers are grouped in corymbs or clusters of open inflorescences and racemes in terminal position, with up to 75 flowers per cluster. Flowering occurs at the end of winter, before the appearance of the first leaves that begins in spring.

In the southern hemisphere, flowering occurs between the months of July-September, before regrowth occurs. On the contrary, in the northern hemisphere, from Colombia to Mexico, flowering occurs in the months of January-February.

Fruit

The fruit is an elongated and oblong dehiscent capsule of light brown color 15-30 cm long. Inside there are numerous flat and winged seeds that are easily dispersed with the intervention of the wind.

Spread

It is common to find small suckers formed from seeds under the adult plants that germinate easily in less than a week. These seedlings when they reach 20-25 cm in height can be transplanted to a definitive site to establish a new tree.

Despite the fact that the pink lapacho is a slow-growing species, the first flowering occurs at 7-8 years of age, approximately when the plant reaches 2 m in height.

Leaves of the pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus). Source: Photo by David J. Stang

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Division: Magnoliophyta

- Class: Magnoliopsida

- Order: Lamiales

- Family: Bignoniaceae

- Tribe: Tecomeae

- Genus: Handroanthus

- Species: Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. Ex DC.) Standl. 1936.

Its scientific name Handroanthus impetiginosus is synonymous with Tabebuia avellanedae. Species dedicated to Dr. Nicolás Avellaneda, illustrious statesman and promoter of science in Argentina.

Synonymy

- Gelseminum avellanedae (Lorentz ex Griseb.) Kuntze

- Handroanthus avellanedae (Lorentz ex Griseb.) Mattos

- Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb.

- Tabebuia dugandii Standl.

- T. impetiginosa (Mart. Ex DC.) Standl.

- T. ipe var. integra (Sprague) Sandwith

- Tabebuia nicaraguensis SFBlake

- Tabebuia palmeri Rose

- T. schunkevigoi DRSimpson

- Tecoma adenophylla Bureau & K. Schum. in CFPvon Martius & auct. suc. (eds.)

- Tecoma avellanedae (Lorentz ex Griseb.) Speg.

- T. avellanedae var. alba Lillo

- T. impetiginosa Mart. ex DC.

- Tecoma integra (Sprague) Hassl.

- Tecoma ipe f. leucotricha Hassl.

- T. ipe var. integrates Sprague

- T. ipe var. Hassl integrifolia.

Pink lapacho bark. Source: JMGarg

Habitat and distribution

The Handroanthus impetiginosus species is native to South America, specifically to the Argentine yungas or ecoregions of Andean forest and mountain jungle at 450-900 meters above sea level. It is also possible to find it in the transition zones of the Chaco forest, between the provinces of Salta, Chaco, Tucumán, Jujuy and the northern region of Catamarca.

There is scientific evidence for more than three centuries of the presence of this species in the region of South America today called Argentina. However, it is currently found wild or cultivated in neighboring countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.

This species is found mainly in hot and humid climates, with average annual rainfall of 800-2,000 mm and an altitudinal range of 300-1,300 meters above sea level. It is a heliophilic plant that supports occasional frosts, fire increases its reproductive potential and is widely cultivated in urban areas.

The pink lapacho grows in open environments with full sun exposure, being sensitive to occasional frosts. In fact, flowering is favored by high solar radiation throughout the day.

It adapts to sandy loam soils with a high content of organic matter and good drainage. It requires frequent watering, especially during the summer, it is recommended to water every 2-3 days during the summer and every 4-5 days the rest of the year.

In order to increase the greater floristic productivity, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers from spring to summer. In addition to maintenance pruning and the removal of fragile, dry or diseased branches during the fall.

Pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus). Source: Ivolindbergh

Properties

The Handroanthus impetiginosus species contains various secondary metabolites that are active components used industrially and medicinally. Naphthoquinones are the main elements located in the bark of the lapacho, where a and b-lapachona, lapachol, lapachonel, deoxilapachol and dehydro-a-lapachone stand out.

As well as menaquinone-1, and different 2- (1'-hydroxyethyl) -furanonaphthoquinones, located mainly in the cortex. The chemical structure of lapachol is similar to that of vitamin K, but it lacks anti-hemorrhagic properties.

The bark also contains various essential oils, as well as sesquiterpene compounds, waxes (ceryl alcohol and lignoceric acid), steroidal saponins and resins.

Also anisic acid, anisaldehyde, anthraquinones, trimethoxybenzoic acid, coenzyme Q, rutinoside, tannins, quercetin, kigelinone, carnosol, aryltetralin, cyclo-olivyl, vanillic acid and vanilla.

Applications

Agroforestry

Trees planted alone or in groups on the edge of pastures and savannas provide shelter and shade for livestock. Sown on the edge of roads, they form living fences or windbreaks, as well as providing shading to permanent crops.

Ecological

Its roots help to stabilize and consolidate eroded land, as well as water or river courses, avoiding water saturation of the soil. In addition, it is used regularly for the restoration of intervened or degraded areas, as well as to protect aquifers.

Industrial

The heavy and firm wood is used for the manufacture of elements resistant to inclement weather and continuous work. As poles for electrical installations, beams for bridges, railway sleepers or industrial floors.

On the other hand, it is widely used in musical instruments, in cabinet making to make turned parts and for tool handles or sports instruments. It is also used to obtain charcoal due to its high calorie firewood.

Ornamental use of the pink lapacho (Handroanthus impetiginosus). Source: Carlos Alves

Medicinal

The bark of the lapacho contains the substance called lapachol, which has anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory principles. The decoction of the bark is used in an artisanal way to prevent cancer, some inflammatory diseases such as cystitis, or infectious diseases such as herpes and scabies.

Infusions of leaves and branches are used as astringent and Vulnerary to relieve wounds, sores or bruises. In addition, the decoction of the bark is used to heal diseases of the liver, intestines, lung, kidney and bladder. In turn, it strengthens the immune system.

The leaves consumed as tea or chewed directly serve to relieve gastric ulcers and certain skin diseases. In Brazil and Bolivia it is used to cure cancer, in Colombia and Venezuela it is used to alleviate the symptoms of malaria and Chagas disease.

Ornamental

The pink lapacho is a forest species widely used as an ornamental due to its showy flowering in streets, avenues and squares. Wood contains colorants and tannins that are used industrially in leather tanning.

Contraindications

Its consumption is contraindicated in pregnant women or those whose state of pregnancy is suspected, the elderly and lactating children. In fact, the consumption of highly concentrated concoctions can cause abortion, nervous disorders in older people and intoxication in minors.

References

1. Alonso, JR (2000). The lapacho. Journal of Phytotherapy, 1 (2), 107-117.
2. Chateauneuf, Rolando (2017) Lapacho (Tabebuia avellanedae or Handroanthus impetiginosus). Rochade: Economy, News and Natural Medicine. Recovered in: rochade.cl
3. Degen de Arrúa. R. & Recalde, L. (2012) The lapacho (in all its species) declared the National Tree of Paraguay, by Law. ROJASIANA Vol. 11 (1-2): 45-57.
4. Espeche, ML, Reyes, NF, García, ME, & Slanis, AC (2014). Pollen morphology of the native and cultivated species of Handroanthus (Bignoniaceae) of the Argentine Republic.
5. Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. Ex DC.) Mattos (2015) Species for IUCN restoration. Recovered in: speciesrestauracion-uicn.org
6. Handroanthus impetiginosus. (2019). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
7. Lozano, EC, & Zapater, MA (2008). Delimitation and status of Handroanthus heptaphyllus and H. impetiginosus. (Bignoniaceae, Tecomeae). Darwiniana, 304-317.
8. Puccio, Pietro (2003) Handroanthus impetiginosus. Monaco Nature Encyclopedia. Recovered at: monaconatureencyclopedia.com