There is often confusion over this name. Mimusops balata Crueg. ex Griseb., is a synonym of Manilkara bidentata (A.DC.) A.Chev., a plant of the American tropics that is commonly known as Balata and is the source of Balata gum. The species treated here, Mimusops balata (Aubl.) C.F.Gaertn., is a distinct African species[].

Common Name:

General Information

Mimusops balata is a tree that can grow up to 20 metres tall[].
The tree has been heavily exploited for construction timber, and is also harvested from the wild as a local supply of food and medicine[]. In Réunion the tree is planted for ecological restoration of the environment and as an ornamental tree[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Mauritius, Réunion.

Habitat

Humid forests at elevations up to 1,100 metres[]. In drier regions it is usually found along streams[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The tree is fairly slow-growing[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. A sweet pulp with an agreeable flavour[]. The fruit is a bright green, globose to pear-shaped berry 5 - 7 cm in diameter, containing 1 - 7 seeds[].

Medicinal

A leaf decoction is astringent and used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and haemorrhage[].

Other Uses

The tree contains latex[]. No uses are mentioned.

The heartwood is reddish brown. The wood is close-grained, heavy, hard and durable, even for exterior use. It is used for construction, shingles, joinery, furniture and wooden toys[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a nursery seedbeds or individual containers, pressing the pointed ends of the seeds 2 - 3cm into the soil. Germination starts after 8 weeks, with the seeds sprouting over the next 4 weeks. It is possible tp speed up the process by mechanical scarification of the seed at its rounded end. Seedlings quickly develop a long taproot, so pot-sown seedlings need to be planted out whilst still small. Seedbed plants can be transplanted, so can be kept in the nursery for 8 - 9 months before planting out[].
The seeds can be stored for 6 months at ambient temperature in air-tight containers[].

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