Alstonia scholaris - Shaitan wood

Description and Uses

Alstonia scholaris (Shaitan wood) is a tropical tree from Malaysia & Indonesia . It is mainly grown for its timber crops , which have a long shelf life. The crop is harvested by total removing. It starts flowering after 6 - 8 years. The yield will be unknown, but in its top season there will be a yield of unknown. Other crop types include; timber, oil, ornamental, fuel, gum resin, . The {missing data} is used as inedible . The flower is used as " high vitamin-C content, " with {missing data} (unknown - unknown) as its significant phytochemical. There is Alstonia scholaris floweroil extracted by steam distillation from the tree's flower yielding 0.02% - 0.10% oil. The tree's wood is called Shaitan wood and has a density of 270 - 490 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the tree's growing speed is fast, it's energetic value is 4500 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is slow. After 18 years the tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Alstonia scholaris has a lifespan of 80 years.

Environmental limitations

The tree is 39 meters tall with a crown of 11 meters wide. The tree prefers a planting distance of 600 cm and a row distance of 600 cm. It is very fast growing and intolerant to shade. Alstonia scholaris has a shallow root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the Glomus hoi and Glomus intraradices fungi (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen with "any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s) "Sinorhizobium americanum ". The tree's flower-morphology is hermaphroditic and is pollinated by wind. Alstonia scholaris is evergreen and allelopathic and has no thorns.

Alstonia scholaris thrives in an altitude of 0 to 900 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is 0°C; optimally between 12 - 32°C. The optimal rainfall is 1900 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 1200 - 1400mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 5.0 - 7.0 in a soil texture of loam. To salt it is tolerant to wind very tolerant and to fire tolerant.

Pests and Diseases

Alstonia scholaris is susceptible to the following pests: Odontotermes obesus , Microtermes michaelseni , Lyctus brunneus , Parotis marginata . And it's susceptible to the following diseases: (missing data) , , .

Seed Propagation

Seeds are recalcitrant and can be stored for 2 months. There are approximative 357000 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:

• (1) Store harvested seeds in water or in the fruit at room temperature
• (3) Remove the seeds from cold to a permanent warm temperature.
• (3) Seeds germinate above ground (epigeous)