Fruit and Nut Trees

by steve stamos

A large deciduous, tropical fruit tree that reaches up to 30 meters in height and a spread of 10-20 meters. It is native to India but it is now naturalized through most of the tropical world. This fruit tree is well adapted to salt soils and often grows along seashores. It is not a particularly hardy tree but can survive short durations of frost. Tropical almond is a member of the Combretum family and its other common names are: Java almond, wild almond, Indian almond and false Kamari.

The tree is propagated from seed and has only an average growth rate. It sends out a single stem from its center and as the stem reaches a good height and grows older, the crown spreads, sending out several horizontal branches and flattens on the top. It likes full sun and plenty of water, though it is drought tolerant.

The inconspicuous, greenish-yellow blossoms appear in six-inch long terminal clusters followed by edible green to yellow fruits that partly turn red when ripe. Although the flesh is edible, it is the nuts that are most frequently eaten and taste like hazelnut. Oil extracted from the dried nuts is edible and used in cooking by several South American countries. The leaves from the tropical almond have been widely used by Asian breeders of tropical fish to promote health and stimulate breeding..

A tea from the leaves is used against dysentery and diarrhea. Tropical almond is one of the most colorful trees in the late autumn with their 30 cm long leaves turning bright shades of pink-red, red, red-yellow, yellow and purple before falling in winter.

tropical almond
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