Balsa trees are native to southern Brazil and Bolivia north to southern Mexico.

Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as the balsa tree (also O. lagopus), is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae.

It recounts Heyerdahl's experiences with the Kon-Tiki expedition, where he travelled across the Pacific Ocean on a balsa tree raft.

They have been observed to drink the nectar of balsa trees during the dry season, and, on rare occasions, to pursue and eat small mammals, such as mice and squirrels.

The main body of the float was composed of nine balsa tree trunks up to 45 ft long, 2 ft in diameter, lashed together with 1 inch hemp ropes.

"Craig, our arborist, has had extensive training to use a chainsaw on the ropes - essential for big jobs like taking down the balsa tree last year, which had grown too big."

Their vessel, built using only the materials and technologies available in the pre-Columbian period, was the Kon-Tiki - a raft composed of nine balsa tree trunks, each 45ft long by 2ft in diameter, lashed together with hemp ropes.

Ochroma pyramidale (as B. pyramidale )

Whau has very light wood, rivalling balsa (Ochroma pyramidale) for lightness, and less dense than cork.