Scientific Name: Peltogyne purpurea
Family: Fabaceae-Caesalpinaceae
Common Name: Nazareno
The traditional name of our tree of the month of April, the Nazareno, is derived from its fine and splendid wood, of purple color which evokes the color of the Christ Nazarene’s mantle. El Nazareno is a beautiful tree found in the Naranjo River Biological Corridor.
The Nazareno can grow to great sizes with height up to 40-meters tall and one-meter in diameter. Its trunk is cylindrical in shape, straight and with thin buttress roots which help support it. The leaves are compound, alternate and upon quick review, look similar to the footprint of a deer, this unique characteristic helps us to identify it. This species may be found growing in the primary forests of southern and central Pacific of our country.
The Nazareno is one of the new species we have included in our reforestation program for 2017, as it is a very rare species and is even in danger of extinction from our forests. For this reason it is of great relevance to keep planting this tree and in this way help to preserve it in the Naranjo River Biological Corridor.
