Mahogany (Swietenia)

Mahogany (Swietenia) is a genus of plants in the Meliaceae, a large tree with a height of 35-40 m, diameter up to 125 cm, straight trunk, cylindrical in shape, bark blackish brown, shallow grooves like scales and peels off when old.

Swietenia flowers after 7 years, crown cylindrical, brownish yellow, stamens attached to the crown, anthers white and brownish yellow. The fruit is square or ovoid, 5 grooves and brown. Flat seeds, black or brown color.

Mahogany grows wild in the forest and other places close to the coast. Trees can reduce 47-69% of air pollution, so they are called protective trees as well as air filters and water catchments.

The leaves absorb the surrounding pollutants and release oxygen which makes the surrounding air fresh. The roots bind the rainwater that falls and become a reservoir of water.

Mahogany is cultivated for wood that has high economic value. Hardwood quality and very good for furniture, furniture, carved items and handicrafts. Rulers are often made because they are not easy to change.

The bark is used to color clothes. The cloth that is boiled with the mahogany skin will turn yellow and will not fade easily. Mahogany sap is used as raw material for glue and leaves for animal feed.

Tree seed extract is used as a vegetable pesticide to control Plutella xylostella and Crocidolomia binolalis as cabbage pests, especially in the larval stage.

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Small-leaved mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni)
Big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Swietenia

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