A study was conducted to determine the reason for the comparatively low stand yield of a potentially fast growing timber species by considering the growth characteristics of individual trees within a stand near Turrialba, Costa Rica. A strong correlation between an index of moisture stress during shoot flushing of individual trees and their corresponding diameters was found. The implications of the correlation lead to the possibility of improving future stand yields by selecting seedlings in the nursery based upon the phenology of the shoot