Balsa Tree Pictures
Welcome to our balsa tree pictures page. On this page you will find lots of nice pictures of balsa trees. You will also find a lot of wonderful information on balsa trees, including information about the balsa tree species, planting information, and much more. This is valuable and useful information that can help you to learn more about the balsa tree.
To view each balsa tree picture in full size just click on the pictures. Enjoy the pictures.
Here is some detailed information on the balsa tree.
Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as balsa (also O. lagopus), is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a large, fast-growing tree that can grow up to 30 m (100 ft) tall. Balsa trees are native from southern Brazil and Bolivia north to southern Mexico; however, Ecuador supplies 95 percent or more of commercial balsa[2]. In recent years, about 60 percent of the balsa has been plantation grown in densely packed patches of 50 to 100 trees per hectare (compared to about two to three per hectare in nature).
Trees are classified as hardwood because of the shape of their leaves, so balsa, with its large, broad leaves is classified as hardwood despite being very soft. It is the softest commercial hardwood. The trees are harvested after six to 10 years of growth. The name balsa comes from the Spanish word for "raft".
As it is low-density but high in strength, balsa is a very popular material to use when making light, stiff structures in model bridge tests and for the construction of model aircraft, as well as full-sized light wooden aeroplanes.
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