Woolly rambutan, Red Jacket, Hairy Bird's eye
Alectryon tomentosus
Family: Sapindaceae
What it is like
A medium sized bushy tree. It grows 8-12 m high. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. Leaves are 12 cm long and there are 2-4 pairs of leaflets. Each leaflet is 14 cm long by 6 cm wide. They are hairy all over. The edges are toothed. The pair of leaflets at the end are larger. New growth is pinkish. The flowers are small and cream. They are about 0.4 cm across. They occur in small panicles. The fruit have 1-3 hairy lobes. They are 1.5 cm across. Each lobe contains a large black seed in a red fleshy fruit. The fruit is edible.
There are 15-34 Electryon species.
Where it is found
It is frost hardy once established. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 950 m altitude. It needs rich, moist soil. It suits hardiness zones 9-10. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin), Papua New Guinea
How it is used for food
The fruit aril or layer around the seed is eaten.
Edible parts
Fruit aril
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from fresh seed or cuttings.