Dynamite tree
Dynamite Tree (Hura crepitans) is a fast-growing tree that can reach heights of up to 60 m when fully grown. It is best known for its remarkable method of seed dispersal.
The fruits are pumpkin-shaped capsules, approximately 5-8 cm wide. When fully mature, they split open explosively and can eject their seeds at speeds of up to 150 km/h. This characteristic has given the tree its Danish name, dynamittræ ("dynamite tree").
In English, the species is also known as the sandbox tree. The name refers to the small containers, called sandboxes, that were once kept on desks to hold fine sand. Before steel pen nibs became common, people sprinkled sand on wet ink to help it dry more quickly.
The fruits of Hura crepitans are flat and nearly circular, resembling these old sandboxes. This resemblance is the origin of the English name sandbox tree.
The tree contains a toxic milky sap that has been used as a fish poison in the Amazon region and for making poisoned arrows in the Caribbean.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: Tropical house
- Danish name: Dynamittræ
- Latin name: Hura crepitans
- Family: Vortemælkfamilien / Euphorbiaceae
- Natural habitat: Tropical America
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