Pulasan, Kapulasan
Nephelium ramboutan-ake

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It can sometimes grow up to 30 m high. The trunk can be 60 cm across. It sometimes has buttresses. The bark is brown. The twigs can be hairy or smooth. The leaves have 1-7 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are oval. They taper to the tip. The base can be tapering or round. They are 4-20 cm long by 2-11 cm wide. Male and female flowers are on separate trees. The flowers are in the axils of leaves near the ends of branches. The fruit are oval or almost round and 4-6.5 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. They have hard woody spines.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the humid tropics. In Borneo it grows up to 1,300 m above sea level. It suits areas with a rainfall between 2,000-5,000 mm. The best temperature is between 20°-30°C. The best pH is 4.5-6.5. It grows on sandy and clay soils. It grows between 12°N-12°S. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Hawaii, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten. It is also cooked and made into jam. The seeds are roasted and used for a beverage.

It is a cultivated fruit tree. Fruit are sold in markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The best female trees are usually propagated by budding. They can be grown by air-layering.

Its other names

Local names

Buah mua, Bulala, Burugal, Karayo, Kyet-mauk, Mak, Melenjau, Meritam, Mujau, Ngoh-khonsan, Panungayan, Pudun, Rumokot, Sugod-sugod, Tadar

Synonyms

Litchi ramboutan-ake Labill.; Nephelium glabrum var. album Hassk.; Nepehlium glabrum var. nigrum Hassk.; Nephelium glabrum var. rubrum Hassk.; Nephelium intermedium Radlk.; Nephelium mutabile Blume; Nephelium mutabile var. rigida Blume; Nephelium mutabile var. trigyna Blume; Nephelium philipinnense Monsalud et al.;