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Claoxylon spp.
brittlewood
Overview
Claoxylon spp. is a genus of roughly 80-120 species of soft-wooded shrubs and small trees in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, distributed through the Old World tropics from Africa and Madagascar across tropical Asia to Australia and the Pacific islands. Plants grow 6-30 feet (1.8-9 m) tall with brittle, pithy stems and thin, soft leaves that are often toothed and may redden before falling. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants, the genus being dioecious, each flower small and greenish or cream and carried in slender racemes from the leaf axils. Female flowers develop into small two- or three-lobed capsules that split to release seeds, often coated with a fleshy aril that draws birds. Many species act as fast-growing pioneers, colonising rainforest clearings, margins, and regrowth where light reaches the ground. The wood is weak and short-lived, and plants are easily broken by wind or trampling. Most species need warm, frost-free conditions and steady moisture, with little tolerance for cold or prolonged drought. The genus is rarely cultivated and is mainly of botanical and ecological interest in its native forests.
Native Range
Claoxylon spp. is native to the Old World tropics and subtropics, ranging from sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar through India and Southeast Asia to eastern Australia and the Pacific islands. It grows in rainforest margins, gaps, and regrowth, mostly in warm, humid lowland and hill forest.Suggested Uses
Claoxylon spp. is grown occasionally in tropical and subtropical gardens and in rainforest restoration, where its fast early growth helps shade and shelter slower-growing trees. The fruit feeds native birds. Its brittle, short-lived wood makes it better suited to naturalistic planting than to formal or long-term framework roles.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 30'
Width/Spread6' - 20'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs through the warmer months and can extend much of the year in equatorial climates. The small greenish flowers are wind- and insect-pollinated and go largely unnoticed. Capsules ripen within weeks and release seeds that are taken by birds.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-8 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