Plant
Shielded Trumpet Tree
Cecropia peltataAlso known as Trumpet Bush, Bacano, Bois Canon, Snakewood
Shielded trumpet trees grow at an astonishing rate in sunlit clearings, casting shade with giant, umbrella-like leaves that feature silver-white undersides. Hollow stem internodes provide specialized housing for aggressive Azteca ants, which patrol the foliage and protect the tree from leaf-cutting pests. Outside its native tropical American range, this aggressive pioneer species easily outcompetes native flora to dominate disturbed forest canopies.
Fast-growingTreePioneer Species
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Three-toed Sloths
- Toucans
- Fruit Bats
ThreatsEradication programs in invasive regions; minimal in native range
HabitatsDisturbed rainforests, secondary forests, canopy gaps, riverbanks
Life span30–50 years
Classification
- OrderRosales
- FamilyUrticaceae
- GenusCecropia
- SpeciesCecropia peltata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Ant Defense: Avoid disturbing lower trunks or branches, as resident ants swiftly attack invaders.
- Spotting Undersides: Look up into canopy gaps for flashes of silver beneath the massive leaves.
Image unavailableSymbiont 
Herbivore (c) Carlos Otávio Gussoni, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Seed Disperser (c) Juan Cruzado Cortés, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Cruzado Cortés · cc-by-saClose Relative
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