Cecropia obtusifolia

Native from Mexico through Central America to Ecuador, this fast-growing evergreen tree in the nettle family reaches about 33 to 65 feet tall. It colonizes openings in humid forests. In Colombia, it is recorded from sea level to about 6,200 feet. Hollow branches house ants, and large leaves have deeply divided lobes. Male and female flowers grow on separate trees. In Panama, flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year; birds, monkeys, and bats disperse the seeds. Its fleshy fruit clusters are edible, and bark fibers are used for rope. It is naturalized and invasive on Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii Island, USA. Photographed in Villeta, Colombia.