Common Name:

General Information

Sideroxylon persimile is a spiny, large, evergreen shrub or tree with a dense crown; it can grow from 5 - 20 metres tall[, ]. It has a deeply fluted bole that can be 100cm in diameter[]. Both the trunkand branches may be heavily armed with simple or compound spines, the latter as much as 50cm long[]
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of wood. It is grown as a timber crop and is also used as an ornamental street tree in Hawaii[].

Known Hazards

The tree is sometimes armed with painful and irritating thorns 1 - 3cm long[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad

Habitat

Moist seasonal evergreen forest and lower montane forest; mainly at elevations from 800 - 2,000 metres, sometimes at lower elevations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The tree is spreading into the wild from initial plantings in Hawaii, probably as a result of seeds dispersed by birds from the numerous fruits the tree produces[].
The greenish flowers are sweetly fragrant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. Eaten when fully ripe[]. A thin layer of flesh with a sweet flavour[]. The oblong to ellipsoid, deep blue to black fruit is around 15 - 25mm long and 10 - 20mm wide, containing a single, large seed[, , ].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree has been used in reforestation projects in Hawaii[].

Other Uses

The wood is used for making the handles of tools such as axes[, ].
The wood isused for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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