Targuá

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Taxonomy and Classification

Common Names

The Euphorbiaceae Family

Etymology

• Croton: From Greek kroton (tick) — the smooth, rounded seeds resemble the body of a tick
• draco: Latin for "dragon" — referring to the dramatic blood-red sap, evoking the legendary dragon's blood
• Targuá: Indigenous name used in Costa Rica, of uncertain linguistic origin; possibly from the Huetar language
• Sangre de Drago: Spanish for "dragon's blood" — the most widely used common name throughout Latin America

Multiple "Dragon's Blood" Species

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Physical Description and Botany

Overall Form

The Targuá is a fast-growing, medium-sized tree reaching 15-25 meters in height with a trunk diameter of up to 50 cm. The trunk is typically straight and columnar, supporting an open, spreading crown with relatively sparse branching. The overall silhouette is characteristic of pioneer trees — tall, skinny, and light-seeking rather than broad and sheltering. In dense secondary forest stands, Targuá trees often grow close together, forming a uniform canopy layer.

Bark and the Famous Red Sap

Bark: Smooth and gray-brown when young, becoming slightly rougher with age but never deeply fissured. The bark is thin — typically only 5-8 mm — which is why the red sap flows so freely with even shallow cuts.

Red Latex: The tree's most remarkable feature is its bright crimson latex that flows immediately when the bark is scored. The sap (technically a latex) is produced by specialized laticifer cells throughout the bark and inner wood. It is remarkably blood-like in appearance — viscous, bright red, and it coagulates on exposure to air, forming a dark reddish-brown protective film. This coagulation mimics blood clotting and is one reason the sap functions as a natural "liquid bandage." The latex contains a complex cocktail of bioactive compounds including the alkaloid taspine, oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), lignans, and diterpenes.

Leaves

The leaves are large, heart-shaped (cordate), and covered with a distinctive soft, velvety pubescence created by dense stellate (star-shaped) trichomes — a hallmark of the genus Croton. The leaves are dark green above and paler below, with finely serrated margins. In the right light, the stellate hairs give the leaf surface a silvery-green sheen. Unlike many tropical dry forest trees, Targuá is semi-evergreen to evergreen, retaining most of its foliage year-round in areas with adequate rainfall.

Flowers

Flowers are arranged in long terminal racemes (15-30 cm). The tree is monoecious — bearing separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence. Male flowers are small, numerous, and positioned at the tip of the raceme, while fewer, larger female flowers cluster at the base. Flowers are pollinated primarily by small bees, flies, and wind. The greenish-white flowers are inconspicuous individually but collectively attract significant insect activity.

Fruit and Seeds

Capsules: Small three-lobed capsules, 6-8 mm in diameter, initially green, turning brown at maturity. Each capsule contains three seeds, one per lobe.

Explosive dispersal: When dry, the capsules undergo explosive dehiscence — they split open suddenly and forcefully, launching seeds up to several meters from the parent tree. This ballistic dispersal is a classic Euphorbiaceae trait, supplemented by secondary dispersal through granivorous birds that consume scattered seeds.

Seeds: Small (3-4 mm), smooth, and rounded — resembling a tick body (hence the genus name Croton). Seeds are photoblastic, requiring light for germination, which ensures they only germinate in open, disturbed conditions where the pioneer tree can thrive.

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Geographic Distribution

Distribution in Costa Rica

The species ranges from southern Mexico through all Central American countries to Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. In Costa Rica, it is found on both Caribbean and Pacific slopes, though it is more abundant on the wetter Caribbean side. It reaches its altitudinal limit around 1,800 m in premontane forests.

Where to See Targuá

• Highway 32 (San José to Limón) — Extremely common along road cuts through Braulio Carrillo; look for the large heart-shaped leaves
• La Selva Biological Station — Abundant in secondary forest and trail edges
• Tapantí National Park — Forest gaps and stream edges in premontane forest
• Rural roads throughout the Central Valley — Agricultural margins and fence lines
• Osa Peninsula — Regenerating areas following logging or farming

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The Famous Red Sap

Bioactive Compounds

How the Sap Works as a Wound Healer

The wound-healing properties of dragon's blood sap are remarkably multifaceted. Taspine, the key alkaloid, promotes migration of fibroblast cells (the cells responsible for building new tissue) into wound sites, accelerating closure. Simultaneously, the proanthocyanidins form a physical barrier when the sap coagulates on air exposure, creating a protective "liquid bandage" that seals the wound from pathogens. The diterpenes provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria that commonly infect wounds. And the high antioxidant content of catechins and flavonoids reduces oxidative stress and inflammation at the wound site. This combination — mechanical sealing + antimicrobial + anti-inflammatory + tissue regeneration — explains why traditional healers considered dragon's blood sap a near-universal wound treatment.

How to Collect Sap Sustainably

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Traditional Medicine

Applications

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Habitat and Ecology

Pioneer Ecology

Forest Associations

In secondary forest, Targuá grows alongside other pioneer species:

• Guarumo (Cecropia spp.) — Hollow-stemmed pioneer; similar ecological niche but different family
• Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale) — Extremely fast-growing; world's lightest commercial wood
• Peine de mico (Apeiba membranacea) — Pioneer with distinctive spiny fruits
• Laurel (Cordia alliodora) — Valuable timber pioneer; longer-lived
• Gavilán (Pentaclethra macroloba) — Dominant canopy species in mature Caribbean lowland forest; eventually replaces pioneers

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Conservation Status

Conservation Role

While the Targuá itself needs no conservation intervention, it is critically important for conserving other species. As the primary pioneer in Costa Rica's forest regeneration, Targuá enables the recovery of biodiverse forest ecosystems on degraded land. Its value in reforestation projects is immense — it is arguably the most important "starter tree" for ecological restoration in wet and moist tropical forests. Protecting regenerating secondary forest (where Targuá dominates) is essential for long-term biodiversity conservation, as these forests will eventually mature into species-rich primary-like forest if given sufficient time and connectivity.

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Cultural Significance

The Curandero's Essential

In Costa Rican and Mesoamerican traditional medicine (curanderismo), the Targuá occupies a central place. The curandero (healer) regards the tree as a first-aid kit growing in the forest — a source of readily available wound treatment, infection fighter, and digestive remedy. The widespread knowledge of Targuá sap's medicinal properties cuts across cultures, from indigenous Bribri communities in the Talamanca mountains to mestizo farmers in the Central Valley. This cross-cultural consensus on the tree's value is one reason pharmacologists investigated the sap so intensively, ultimately leading to the crofelemer drug discovery.

The Red Stain

Anyone who has handled Targuá sap knows its most memorable property after medicinal value: it stains everything it touches a deep reddish-brown that is nearly impossible to remove from clothing, skin, and tools. This intense, persistent pigment was historically used as a natural dye for textiles and, according to some accounts, for body paint by indigenous groups. The staining property also means that trees that have been recently tapped for sap are easily identified by their dark reddish-brown bark scars.

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Growing Targuá

Propagation

Cultivation Requirements

Landscaping and Restoration Uses

Excellent for: Forest restoration on degraded land, riparian buffer planting, erosion control on slopes, gap-filling in secondary forest, educational and medicinal gardens, attracting wildlife to recovering landscapes.

Considerations: Short-lived (30-50 years) — plan for eventual replacement. Not suitable for dry forest conditions (requires >2,000 mm annual rainfall). The red sap stains surfaces and clothing. Large leaves create abundant leaf litter. Self-pruning can leave dead branches in crown.

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Similar Species

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External Resources

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References

1. Ubillas, R., Jolad, S.D., Bruening, R.C., et al. (1994). SP-303, an antiviral oligomeric proanthocyanidin from the latex of Croton lechleri (Sangre de Drago). Phytomedicine 1(2): 77-106.

2. Jones, K. (2003). Review of Sangre de Drago (Croton lechleri) — A South American tree sap in the treatment of diarrhea, inflammation, insect bites, viral infections, and wounds. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 9(6): 877-896.

3. Pieters, L., De Bruyne, T., Claeys, M., et al. (1993). Isolation of a dihydrobenzofuran lignan from South American dragon's blood (Croton spp.) as an inhibitor of cell proliferation. Journal of Natural Products 56(6): 899-906.

4. Salatino, A., Salatino, M.L.F., & Negri, G. (2007). Traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology of Croton species (Euphorbiaceae). Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society 18(1): 11-33.

5. Webster, G.L. (1993). A provisional synopsis of the sections of the genus Croton (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 42(4): 793-823.

6. Hammel, B.E., Grayum, M.H., Herrera, C., & Zamora, N. (eds.) (2003-2015). Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica (Volumes I-VIII). Missouri Botanical Garden Press.

7. Jiménez, Q. (1999). Árboles maderables de Costa Rica: ecología y silvicultura. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.

8. Berry, P.E., Hipp, A.L., Wurdack, K.J., et al. (2005). Molecular phylogenetics of the giant genus Croton and tribe Crotoneae (Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto). American Journal of Botany 92(9): 1520-1534.