Tuesday, December 20, 2011

CANDLE TREE

Common Name: Candle Tree
Botanical Name: Parmentiera cereifera
Specimens From: Singapore
Specimens Weight: 70 gms [2.47 oz] (average wgt per fruit)


The candle tree is native to Panama. The fruits are attached to the trunk and branches and from a distance, it appear like many candles hanging from the tree.

It is long, up to one metre or slightly more than three feet in length, and cylindrical in shape. Some fruits are with the tapered end but some are with the rounded end. It may be green or purplish-maroon and will change to yellowish-green, yellow or yellowish-brown when it ripens.

The smaller candle tree fruit looks like a banana [refer to above photo] or a chilli if it is with a pointed tip. The flesh is slightly soft, fibrous and contains many small edible seeds. Some are juicy and sweet. This fruit tree is usually planted more for its unique ornamental display than for its edible fruit. Other than some parts of Mexico and maybe a few nearby South American countries, it is extremely rare to find these fruits selling in the market.


Fruit: Candle Tree; Parmentiera cereifera; Bignoniaceae.


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1 comment:

  1. Your specimens is from singapore? I live here but have seen this fruit anywhere before.. Where in singapore can i find it?

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