Leopard Tree

Le léopard (Libidibia ferrea) tire son nom de son caractère distinctif ..

The Leopard Tree (Libidibia ferrea) earns its name from its smooth distinctive bark, which is coloured in various shades of grey and yellow, mottled with brown splotches, and peels off in patches with age. The Leopard Tree can also be recognised by its beautiful small yellow flowers, and its feathery-looking leaves. The wood of this tree is very dense and heavy, and an aged block of Leopard Tree wood would actually sink in water, unlike most other types of wood – hence its other common name, the Brazilian Ironwood.

Grown in gardens for the dappled shade it provides and its beautiful trunk. The smooth bark exfoliates easily but incompletely, often leaving large dark brown patches against a light background, the reason for the common name. In moderate climates that experience light frost or dry summer climates, the leopard tree is not a giant and ideal for small gardens, but if you plant it in climates similar to its natural subtropical habitat, the leopard tree grows to 15 m tall with an aggressive root system that mirrors the size of the tree above the ground. It is deciduous in cold climates.