Elephant apple

Dillenia indica

The elephant apple tree is a small, striking tree of the rose apple family, with short-lived white flowers and tart fruit.

The elephant apple tree, which belongs to the rose apple family, prefers to grow on alluvial soil in river valleys. The white flowers of the elephant apple tree grow to a size of up to 20 centimetres and bloom for just a single day. This small tree has a widely spreading crown and a strikingly cocoa-brown trunk. Drinks can be made from its tart false berries. Because elephants in India and Sri Lanka enjoy eating the fallen fruit, this rose apple tree came to be known as the Elephant apple. In Madagascar, the fruit is eaten by lemurs.

Distribution

South Asia, South-East Asia and Madagascar

Number of related species

60 species

Use

fruit for drinks

Distribution

South Asia, South-East Asia and Madagascar

Number of related species

60 species

Use

fruit for drinks

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