HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE A BALSA TREE TO GROW?
Balsa trees grow very rapidly (like all pesky trees). Six months after germination, the tree is about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 10 – 12 feet tall! In 6 to 10 years, the tree is ready for cutting, having reached a height of 60 to 90 feet tall and a diameter of 12 to 45 inches. If left to continue growing, the new wood being grown on the outside layers becomes very hard and the tree begins to rot in the center. A balsa tree may grow to a diameter of 6 feet or more, but very little usable lumber can be obtained from a tree of this size. The balsa leaf is similar in shape to a grape leaf, only a lot bigger. When the tree is young, these leaves measure as much as 4 feet across. They become progressively smaller as the tree grows older, until they are about 8 – 10 inches across. Balsa is one of the few trees in the jungle which has a simple leaf shape. This fact alone makes the balsa tree stand out in the jungle.
Balsa trees grow very rapidly (like all pesky trees). Six months after germination, the tree is about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 10 – 12 feet tall! In 6 to 10 years, the tree is ready for cutting, having reached a height of 60 to 90 feet tall and a diameter of 12 to 45 inches. If left to continue growing, the new wood being grown on the outside layers becomes very hard and the tree begins to rot in the centre. Unharvested, a balsa tree may grow to a diameter of 6 feet or more, but very little usable timber can be obtained from a tree of this size. The balsa leaf is similar in shape to a grape leaf, only a lot bigger. When the tree is young, these leaves measure as much as 4 feet across. They become progressively smaller as the tree grows older, until they are about 8 – 10 inches across. Balsa is one of the few trees in the jungle which has a simple leaf shape. This fact alone makes the balsa tree stand out in the jungle.
