Family: Malvaceae
Common name: Buddha’s coconut, Buddha coconut, Winged Sterculia, Anathondi, Kavalam, Kudatthanni, Pothondi, Porila, Kolugida, Tula
Buddha’s coconut tree is a large, majestic, tropical tree with thick green foliage and brown coconut-like fruits. They are native to Southeast Asian countries, valued for their ornamental beauty, commercial and medicinal uses.
Tree characteristics
These trees have very strong roots to keep them firmly anchored, making them resistant to strong winds. In addition to having deep roots, Buddha’s coconut tree also has many buttress roots radiating all around the main trunk, to stabilize the tall, thick tree.
The tree trunk is straight, greyish-brown in color, relatively smooth, growing to a diameter of over 1-2 meters in mature trees. The tree can grow to a height of about 30 meters or more.
Leaves of Buddha’s coconut tree are large, broad, dark green, and roughly heart-shaped. Leaves grow thick and compact on the tree giving it a dense foliage that makes it a good ornamental and shade tree.
Flowers of the Budda’s coconut tree are small and bell-shaped, about 1-2 cm in diameter. They have pale yellow or cream-colored petals, which darken to a pink hue when the flowers mature.
Flowering happens during spring and late summer, and the flowers exude a delicate fragrance that attracts bees and other insects.
The unique rounded, brown, woody fruits give the tree its name, Buddha’s coconut. They are about 10-15 cm in diameter with numerous seeds arranged beautifully in compartments inside the fruits.
The cross-section of the fruit looks really pretty, with thin ribs that separate them into various compartments. Seeds are 2-3 cm long with papery wings that help in wind dispersal.
Gardening tips
Buddha’s coconut trees are tall, wide, majestic trees that need quite a bit of space around them for the foliage to spread out. Make sure to plant the trees about 10-12 meters away from each other, and sufficiently far from structures like walls or buildings. The strong buttress roots are capable of breaking pavements or concrete structures.
These trees prefer bright sunlight for most part of the day, to reach their full potential size. They are capable of tolerating drought, weather fluctuations, poor soil conditions, and neglect especially after the trees are grown.
Younger trees need regular watering, fertilization, and possibly some pruning to ensure that they grow compact and well-rounded. Like most large trees, they are tolerant of pests and other infestations, and most infestations clear up by themselves.
Uses of Buddha’s coconut trees
These trees are grown in parks and public gardens as ornamental trees for shade, also providing shelter for small animals and birds. Parts of the tree were used in traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of pain, swelling, leprosy, and hemorrhoids.
The seeds were used as a substitute for opium since they possess narcotic effects. Oil obtained from the seeds can be consumed, and also used for lighting. Timber is light and not very durable, hence used for making small implements, packing crates, and other short-term use objects.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds, stem cuttings, layering, and grafting.
Seeds collected from mature fruits can be dried, soaked in water for a day, and then sown in moist, well-drained soil. Germination can take more than a month. Semi-hardwood cuttings of the tree can also take root in soil.
Like for most large trees, layering and grafting are more effective methods of propagation.
Photographed at: Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah
