Burdekin plum, Tulip plum
Pleiogynium timoriense

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A medium sized deciduous tree. It can grow to 20-45 m high. It spreads 8-15 m wide. It can have buttresses. The bark is hard, grey-brown and cracked. Young growth is usually hairy. The leaves are compound. They are 10-18 cm long. The leaflets are on opposite sides of the stalk. New growth is red-brown. There are 5-11 leaflets and they are 4-10 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The male flowers are in groups 15 cm long. The female flowers are in groups 5 cm long. The flowers are 0.8 cm across. They are white. The fruit are small and purple. They are 3-4 cm across. They have a thin acid pulp and a large irregular seed. The fruit occur singly or in bunches in the axils of leaves. They contain 5-12 seeds in a woody shell. The flesh is edible. The flesh can be white or purple.

There are 1 or 2 Pleiogynium species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to Malesia and Australia. It grows in open forest and coastal scrub. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions. It needs well drained soil and a sunny position. It can tolerate light frost. It can tolerate slightly salty conditions. In Wittunga Botanical Gardens Adelaide.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Cook Is., East Timor, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Caledonia, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rotuma, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, USA

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are edible. The flesh of the fruit is used to make jam. The seeds are edible.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from fresh seed. The seeds germinate erratically. It is best to scratch the hard seed coat then soak them in warm water for 24 hours. They can also be grown by cuttings and layering.

Seedling trees take 7 years to produce fruit. Trees can produce large crops. Fruit are usually gathered after they have fallen from the tree. The fruit need to be softened in paper bags in the dark, or by burying for several days.

Its other names

Local names

Injo wato, Lumba, Pohon injo, Pohon lumba, Pohon wato, Woigiek

Synonyms

Clausena timorensis M. Roem.; Icica timoriensis A. DC.; Owenia cerasifera F. Muell.; Pleiogynium cerasiferum (F.Muell.) R.Parker; Pleiogynium cerasiferum var. glabratum Domin; Pleiogynium solandri (Benth.) Engl.; Spondias pleiogyna F. Muell.; Spondias solandri Benth.; Pleiogynium papuanum;