Tea Mangrove (Pelliciera rhizophorae)
Scientific Name: Pelliciera rhizophorae — Tea Mangrove or Mangrove Piñuelo.
Native Home: Pacific coastal Central America and northwestern South America, from Nicaragua and Costa Rica to Ecuador.
Height: Typically 12–18 m, sometimes reaching around 20 m.
Lifespan: Several decades; a reliable average lifespan has not been established.
DOI
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Uses and Harvesting
Timber: Not a major commercial timber species; its primary value is ecological and ornamental.
Harvesting: Leaves have traditionally been used as a tea substitute. Wild collection and tree removal should be avoided where they threaten natural populations.
Age to Harvest: Not generally cultivated for commercial timber; no standard harvest age is established.
Products: Traditional leaf infusions, conservation planting, coastal-restoration projects, and botanical collections.
Costa Rica Tree Atlas
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History and Global Production
Traditional Use: Leaves have historically been used as a tea substitute. The tree also provides important habitat for wildlife, including the Mangrove Hummingbird.
Global Spread: Native to estuaries along the Pacific coast of Central America and northwestern South America. It prefers sheltered, relatively low-salinity mangrove forests and is classified as Vulnerable, with habitat loss and fragmentation posing significant threats.
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