CEBU, Philippines - Its scientific name is Shorea squamata. It belongs to Dipterocarpaceae, a family of 17 genera and more than 500 species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees.
Physical Characteristics
Mayapis is propagated by seed. It grows into a large tree, reaching as high as 40 to 50 meters in height with a diameter of about 150 centimeters. Its bole is regular and strongly buttressed while its leaves are alternate, simple, smooth on the upper surface, and rough on the lower surface with tufts of stellate hairs.
The bark of mayapis is predominantly ridged and brown to dark brown in color, although it turns gray when exposed to strong sunlight. The tree’s inner bark is stringy in texture, brown to pink in color, with vertical white bands beneath the furrows.
Mayapis resembles closely the almond tree but it is distinguished by its color, thicker bark, and coarser and larger leaves that have more prominent hairs.
Uses
Mayapis wood is used for furniture and cabinet works of all kinds, cigar boxes, pattern stocks, veneer, hardboard, and plywood. The wood extractives are tumor-inhibiting.
Locations
In the Philippines, mayapis is commonly found in Babuyanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon, Polillo, Mindoro, Marinduque, Panay, Samar, Negros, Biliran, Leyte, Bohol, Surigao, Agusan, Zamboanga, Misamis, Lanao, Davao, and Basilan.
How to plant your Mayapis Seedling
Clear the area where you want to plant your seedling with unwanted weeds and debris. Make sure that a one-meter radius is kept free from other vegetation. Dig a plant hole with dimensions of at least 20cm x 20cm x 20cm. Plant the seedling at proper depth. Root collar should be at level with or a little below the ground surface with the seedling oriented upward. Fill the hole with top or garden soil and press soil firmly around the base of the seedling. In plantation-making, seedlings should maintain a two-meter distance between seedlings if planted in a row of a three-meter distance from one strip to the next strip.
How to take care of your Mayapis seedling
Remove grasses and other unwanted vegetation and cultivate the soil around the base of the seedling (50cm radius) once in every quarter for two to three years. Place mulch around the base of the seedling (maintaining the 50 cm radius and using cut grasses, leaves and other suitable materials as mulch base). Prune the branches at most 50 percent of the crown depth, preferably during dry season, and ensure that when pruning, you do not injure the bark. Remove infected or infested vegetation nearby to stop plant diseases from spreading and contaminating your seedling. Monitor regularly the growth of the seedling for presence of pests and diseases.
NOTE: Data about native tree species are featured by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. For suggestions e-mail Nancy.Cudis@rafi.org.ph.