Red ochrosia tree
Ochrosia coccinea

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows up to 6-10 m tall. It has white latex. The leaves are oblong or sword shaped. They have a long point at the tip. They are 8-19 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. There are many fine side veins. The leaf stalk is slender. It is 10-18 mm long. The flowers are white. The fruit are in pairs. They are green and turn red when ripe The fruit has many seeds and splits down one side on ripening. It is 2-3 cm long. It is shining and red.

It is cultivated and used in medicine. There are 21 Ochrosia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is often near seashores and occasionally flooded forests. It grows in the mountains up to 800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Angair-air, Dih, Guang e mei gui shu, Kua, Pohon holei merah

Synonyms

Bleekeria coccinea (Teijsmann & Binnendijk) Koidzumi; Excavatia coccinea (Teijsmann & Binnendijk) Markgraf; Lactaria coccinea Teijsmann & Binnendijk;