Krugiodendron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Krugiodendron |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Krugiodendron
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| Species: |
ferreum
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| Synonyms | |
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Rhamnus ferrea Vahl |
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The Black Ironwood, also known as Leadwood, is a super strong tree found in places like southern Florida, the Caribbean, and parts of southern Mexico to Honduras. Its scientific name is Krugiodendron ferreum. This tree gets its common names because its wood is incredibly heavy and hard, almost like iron!
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What's in a Name?
The Black Ironwood is the only species in its group, called Krugiodendron. This special name was given to honor a person named Leopold Krug, who lived a long time ago (from 1833 to 1898). The second part of its scientific name, ferreum, comes from a Latin word that means "iron-like." This perfectly describes its super dense wood!
Meet the Black Ironwood Tree
This amazing tree usually grows to be about 5 to 10 meters (about 16 to 33 feet) tall. That's like a two or three-story building! Its leaves grow opposite each other on the branches and have a small notch at the tip.
Super Heavy Wood
The wood of the Black Ironwood is incredibly dense. Imagine a piece of wood that's so heavy it sinks in water! A typical piece of this wood is about 1.30 grams per cubic centimeter, and some can be even heavier, up to 1.42 grams per cubic centimeter. This makes it one of the densest woods in the world.
Flowers and Fruit
The Black Ironwood tree has small, greenish flowers. After the flowers, it grows small fruits called drupes. These fruits are about 5 to 7 millimeters long. When they are ready to eat, they turn a pretty purplish-red color.
Where it Grows and Why it's Special
You can find the Black Ironwood growing naturally in warm places like Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America. People also plant it in gardens and parks because it's a very tough tree. It can handle dry weather really well, which means it doesn't need a lot of water to grow big and strong.
