Edible portions : Fruit, Bark - drink, Flowers, Seeds, Gum
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.
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.
Other names : West Indian elm, 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