Couroupita nicaraguarensis, Cannonball tree RARE

Couroupita nicaraguarensis, Cannonball tree

Couroupita nicaraguarensis belongs to the family of the Lecythidaceae. It is also named cannonball tree this is due to the fact that the fruits of the tree look like old cannonballs. The flowers of the cannonball tree are white with yellowness. They can get 10 cm in diameter, are petiolated, have a strong odour and are placed directly on the trunk. This so called cauliflory is necessary because the woody fruits can reach a diameter from up to 25 cm and are very heavy. The natives used the fruit so catch monkeys. They placed a nut into the empty fruit. When the monkey wanted to crap the nut it made a fist and got stuck in the fruit. The homeland of the cannonball tree is South- and Centralamerica. C. nicaraguarensis can get up to 30m tall. The elongated- elliptic leaves stand in whorls. The seeds are 10 to 15mm long and get bluish and greenish when removed from the pulp.

Cultivation:

keep temperature above 25°C and keep the soil constantly moist. Germination can take up to 3 months