West Indian elm
Guazuma ulmifolia

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tall tree. It loses its leaves during the year. The bark is grey-brown and rough and cracked. The tree grows 12-20 m high. The crown is irregular and the branches droop. The leaves are 6-20 cm long and are unequal at the base. Leaves are hairy and have irregular teeth. The flowers occur in clusters. They are about 5 mm wide and yellow. They have 5 petals and a woolly appearance. There are thread like appendages at the top of the flowers. The fruit is a capsule which is round and green but turns black when ripe. The fruit is edible. There are several oval seeds in a sweet, edible, mucilage layer.

There are 4 Guazuma species in tropical America. Parts of the tree are used in medicine. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is native to tropical America. It will grow on poor soils. It grows from sea level to 1,200 m in the tropics. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall below 1,200 mm. It can grow in arid places. Madras. At ECHO.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Antigua and Barbuda, Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil (country/location of origin), Caribbean, Central America, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Guianas, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Leeward Is., Malaysia, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico (country/location of origin), Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru (country/location of origin), Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit capsule is eaten. The fruit is rich in mucilage. The green fruits are eaten raw, cooked, crushed in water to make a drink or used to flavour other foods. The sap is used to clarify syrup in the making of sugar.

Edible parts

Fruit, bark - drink, flowers, seeds, gum

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. It is considered that seeds which have passed through an animals digestive tract grow more easily. Seeds are soaked in water at 90°C for 4 minutes then in cool water for 24 hours. Seedlings can be transplanted after 7 months. It can be grown from cuttings.

It is fast growing. The fruit remain on the tree for long periods.

Its other names

Local names

Acashti, Algodon de ceibo, Ajilla, A'jijati, Bay cedar, Bucha, Chico-magro, Cuahulote, Debodaru, Embiru, Guacimo, Guasima, Guasimo, Guazumo, Mutamba, Mutambo, Nepaltunth, Nepal-tuth, Nipaltunth, Pohon jati belanda, Pohon jatilondo, Radraksha, Rudrakscha chettu, Rudrasum, Tenbachai, Thene-chettu, Thenmaram, Tubakki, Udrikpatta, Uttharasham

Synonyms

Bubroma guazuma (L.) Willd.; Bubroma tomentosa Spreng.; Guazuma guazuma Cockerell; Guazuma tomentosa H. B. K.; Guazuma utilis Poepp.; Theobroma guazuma L.; and others