Plumwood, Nutwood
Terminalia grandiflora
Family: Combretaceae
What it is like
A slender tree. It grows 7-15 m tall. It has a narrow crown and the branches hang downwards. It loses many leaves during the year. The bark is rough and checkered. It has open cracks. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are mostly crowded towards the ends of branches. The leaves are smooth oblong and narrow. They taper towards the base. The leaf blade is 4-12 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The tip of the leaf is rounded and the midrib is distinct. The leaf stalk can be 1 cm long. The leaves fall by the end of July in Australia. The flowers are green-cream with many stamens. The flower spikes are large and showy. The flowers have a scent. The flowers are on spikes 5-10 cm long. They occur in the axils of leaves towards the ends of small branches. The fruit are smooth and nearly round. They are 3-4 cm long by 2.5 cm across and they have a distinct beak. They have thin flesh and are purple when ripe. There is a single hard woody shell with one seed inside. The nut is thick and woody and 2-3 cm across. The kernel of the nut is edible. The fruit remain on the tree for several months.
There are about 200-250 Terminalia species. They are tropical.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows as an understorey tree in open forest. It grows on well drained soils and in dry regions. It occurs naturally in northern Australia. It is often along creek banks and on black soil plains.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The kernel is eaten raw.
Commonly eaten in Australia.
Edible parts
Fruit, kernel, nuts
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from fresh seed.
In Australia flowering occurs August to October and fruiting from December to May.
Its other names
Local names
Angalika, Deti, Gutu, Native almond, Tuluwunga, Warigan, Yalu