Stats

Lifespan

Up to 350 yrs

Size

Huge

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Central and South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Armor

Status

Endangered

About

This towering tree grows in the tropical rainforests of Mexico and South America. Its winged seeds spin like helicopter blades to travel up to 100 meters from the parent.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Sapindales

Family

Meliaceae

Genus

Swietenia

Species

Swietenia macrophylla