Family: Fabaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Dalbergia retusa, commonly known as Nicaragua rosewood or cocobolo, is a tropical hardwood tree native to Central America, including countries such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and parts of southern Mexico. It typically grows in seasonally dry tropical forests and can reach heights of 40–65 feet. The tree is best known for its exceptionally dense, richly colored heartwood, which ranges from deep reddish-brown to orange with striking dark streaks. Because of its beauty, durability, and resistance to decay, cocobolo is highly valued for fine woodworking projects, musical instruments, decorative veneers, tool handles, and specialty crafts.

Risks, Threats & Management
Nicaragua rosewood is considered a low risk species in Hawaiʻi and is not known to naturalize or spread aggressively. It does not typically exhibit weedy behavior, and its growth requirements limit its ability to establish outside cultivated settings. The primary conservation concern associated with this species is not invasiveness, but overharvesting in its native range due to high demand for its valuable timber. In Hawaiʻi, responsible planting and monitoring are recommended, as with any introduced tree, but current evidence suggests it poses minimal ecological threat when properly managed.

High Risk Traits:

• Congeneric Weed: Closely related Dalbergia sissoo is a serious invasive weed in Australia.
  
• Nitrogen-Fixing: Can alter soil nutrient cycles for a competitive advantage.
  
• Shade Tolerant: Can establish in forest understories, aiding invasion of intact ecosystems.
  
• Soil Versatility: Tolerates a range of soil conditions, including degraded acid soils.
  
• Intentional Dispersal: Valued for wood and commonly cultivated, leading to repeated introductions.
  
• Wind-Dispersed Seeds: Winged pods allow spread from planted areas into surrounding habitats.
  
• Tolerates Mutilation: Can resprout from roots, making removal difficult.

Low Risk Traits:

• Not Naturalized: No evidence of naturalization outside its native range.
  
• Not a Weed: No records as an agricultural, garden, or environmental weed.
  
• Slow Growth: Dense wood and slow growth suggest a long time to reach reproductive maturity.
  
• Reproductive Constraints: Shows inbreeding depression and requires specific bee pollinators.
  
• Low Seed Output: Produces few, large seeds with no evidence of a persistent seed bank.
  
• Limited Dispersal: Not dispersed by water or animals (wind-dispersed only).
  
• Tree Growth Habit: Not a climbing or smothering plant.