Bigleaf mahogany

This tree grows 20 to 45 metres in height, and its trunk grows 1 to 2 metres in diametre. Its leaves are dark green, shiny, and hairless, growing between 10 and 30 centimetres. They are made of up between 4 and 8 pairs of leaflets and the terminal leaflet is missing from the leaves, which is characteristic of this genus.

The tree’s tiny flowers are grouped together in panicles. Its fruits are pear-shaped capsules that grow between 12 and 20 centimetres and contain winged seeds. The big-leaf mahogany is a deciduous or semi-deciduous tree and typically loses its leaves during the dry season.

Other species of the same genus 

There are other species of the same genus, such as American mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), also called West Indian mahogany. This tree grows 20 to 30 metres in height, and its leaves closely resemble those of the big-leaf mahogany despite being smaller. The leaves are made up of 3 to 5 pairs of folioles, compared to the big-leaf mahogany’s 4 to 8 pairs.

Another trait that differentiates the two tree species is that the American mahogany’s wood is the one that is sought after by luxury woodworkers (among others). Because the demand for its wood left the tree at risk, its harvesting is now controlled.