Cannonball Tree

It is easy to see why this is called the cannonball tree. Its fruits are shaped like cannon balls. Besides, its scientific is quite a mouthful – Couroupita guianensis, not the easiest to remember.

Couroupita guianensis is native to the tropical forests, and is cultivated in many other tropical areas throughout the world as an ornamental for its beautiful, scented flowers, and as a botanical specimen for its interesting fruit.

Some trees flower profusely until the entire trunk is covered with flowers. The flowers are strongly scented, and are especially fragrant at night and in the early morning. They are typically brightly colored, with the petals ranging from shades of pink and red near the bases to yellowish toward the tips.

There are two areas of stamens: a ring of stamens at the center, and an arrangement of stamens that have been modified into a hood.

Fruits are brownish in colour. They take up to a year to mature, sometimes as long as 18 months. The flesh of the fruit is white, and turns blue upon oxidation, a reaction with air. They are edible, but is not usually eaten by people because, in contrast to its intensely fragrant flowers, it can have an unpleasant smell. It is fed to livestock such as pigs and domestic fowl.

This plant is known to have many medicinal uses.

This is a part of the shell of the fruit.

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