Triplaris americana is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by many common names, including ant tree or pau-formiga ("ant tree"), guacamayo, guayabo zancón, hormiguero, palo de Santa María, tachí, vara santa, pau-de-novato, formigueiro, and taxizeiro. It is native to Central and South America, occurring from Panama to Brazil. It is also cultivated as an ornamental for its showy pink flowers. This tree grows in riparian habitat types. It is a colonizer of disturbed habitat. It has been introduced to areas outside its native range, including Hawaii and southern Africa.