Cordia dodecandra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cordia dodecandra |
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| At the sitio arqueológico Uxmal in Yucatán, Mexico | |
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Cordia dodecandra, often called ziricote, is a beautiful small tree. It belongs to the borage family. You can find this tree growing naturally in southern Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Ziricote is well-known for its striking orange flowers and valuable wood.
What Ziricote Looks Like
The ziricote tree can grow up to 25–30 ft (7.6–9.1 m) tall when it is fully grown. This is about the height of a two or three-story building.
From February to May, the tree produces many bright flowers. These flowers grow in groups at the ends of the branches. Each flower is about 2 in (50 mm) wide. They are a vibrant orange color and shaped like a tube that flares out, almost like a trumpet.
Inside each flower, there are between 13 and 18 stamens. Stamens are the parts of the flower that produce pollen. These stamens are not all the same length. Some are short, and some are long, creating two levels inside the flower.
After the flowers bloom, white fruits appear. These fruits are about 2 in (50 mm) long. In some places, people even use these fruits to make tasty sweets!
How Ziricote is Used
Ziricote wood is very special. It has a dark brown color with interesting patterns. This wood is also very hard and strong. Its hardness is measured at 1,970 lbf (8.8 kN) on the Janka scale.
Because it is so strong and beautiful, ziricote wood is used for many different things. It is popular for making high-quality furniture and fancy cabinets. People also use it for flooring and even for the stocks of guns.
Musicians love ziricote wood too. It is often used to make musical instruments like guitars and ukuleles. You might also see it in grand entrance doors, decorative beams, or other small, special items.
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See also
In Spanish: Siricote para niños
