What is the palo de tinto tree?

The palo de tinto tree (Haematoxilum campechanum) is an endemic tree of southeast Mexico and northeast Central America, from which various timber products can be extracted, but its main virtue is a coloring substance called Hematoxylin.

Since pre-Columbian times, the Mayans used the “palo ek’ ”(red wood) ink to dye fabrics and give a red hue to their writings and drawings. Later, during colonizing, it became a very precious product, since in those times large quantities of this wood was exported to supply the dyeing industry in Europe, which also caused great conflicts between the Spanish and English conquerors, at first due to looting by pirates and smugglers, and later by the control of their exploitation and trade.

Hematoxylin has an extensive application in the medical area. It is used in histology to diagnose the state of health of tissues. Although synthetic dyes have been developed for the same purpose, it has not been possible to replace it due to its effectiveness and cost of production.

The red tree grows grouping into groups of trees called «Tintales», which are ecosystems rich in biodiversity. Being a fast-growing tree, represents an excellent opportunity for CO2 sequestration.