Aphananthe philippinensis
axe handle wood
Eastern Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines
Overview
Aphananthe philippinensis is an evergreen rainforest tree reaching 50-100 feet (15-30 m) tall in forest, though often smaller in the open, with a straight trunk, buttressed at the base on large trees, and grey, somewhat flaky bark. The leaves are alternate, oval to lance-shaped, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, with toothed margins and a rough, sandpapery upper surface and short hairs beneath. Small greenish flowers without showy petals appear among the leaves in spring, the sexes separate on the same tree. Rounded to oval black drupes 0.3-0.5 inches (8-12 mm) long follow, ripening in summer and autumn. The timber is hard, heavy, and close-grained, once used for tool handles. Growth is moderate in warm, moist conditions. The tree casts dense shade and develops a wide-spreading root system on large specimens.
Native Range
Native to eastern Australia from New South Wales to Queensland, and extending to New Guinea and the Philippines. Grows in lowland and lower-mountain rainforest and along rainforest margins on moist, fertile soils.Suggested Uses
Planted as a shade or canopy tree in large native and rainforest gardens, parks, and revegetation plantings, spaced 20-35 feet (6-10.5 m) apart. The fruit draws fruit-eating birds, supporting habitat plantings. Its size and spreading roots make it less suited to small gardens or planting near buildings and paving.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height50' - 100'
Width/Spread25' - 40'
Reaches mature size in approximately 20 years
Bloom Information
Flowers in spring, from September to November, with small greenish flowers that have no showy petals and are easily overlooked. Flowering lasts 3-4 weeks. The black drupes ripen through summer and into autumn and are taken by fruit-eating birds.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained, fertile soil with organic matter, with young trees tolerating shade. Water young trees through dry spells until established, after which the species tolerates short dry periods. It grows on loam and clay-loam soils in warm, frost-free to light-frost areas, with young plants sensitive to frost. Few pests or diseases trouble it. The dense shade and wide roots of large trees limit what grows beneath them. Fallen fruit accumulates and can stain paving under the crown.Pruning
Formative pruning when young shapes a single straight trunk and balanced crown. The tree tolerates pruning to lift or thin the canopy and reshoots from cut branches. Removal of lower limbs creates clearance beneath the spreading crown.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter