Túllio F · CC BY-SA 4.0Ear pod tree (timbó)
Enterolobium contortisiliquum · timbo
A giant, wide-crowned tree with ear-shaped pods; its trunks were once carved into canoes.
What it is
One of the region's largest and widest-crowned trees, common in riverside forests and in pastures, where it is left standing for shade. Its fruits are coiled black pods shaped like an ear. Its wood is light and easy to work and was traditionally used for dugout canoes and washtubs. The pods contain saponins that foam in water.
Did you know…?
Crushed pods were used as soap for washing clothes. They can be toxic to cattle.
Season
Blooms in spring, with small white pompom flowers. The pods ripen and drop in autumn and winter.
Where
Riverside forests and pastures throughout the Eastern Region and the Humid Chaco. There are large specimens on estancias and in town squares.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.