Description
This tree has large leaves to 36 cm long and about 17 cm wide and a purple to black fruit to 8 cm long and 5 cm wide.
Terminalia catappa is a fast-growing deciduous or semi-evergreen tree, usually growing about 15 metres tall with specimens up to 40 metres recorded.
Plants are fast growing, often in excess of 1 metre a year when young.
This is one of the most common trees of many tropical coasts.
It is often planted in avenues as a shade-tree, for which it is suitable because of its very regular shape.
A mid-canopy tree in areas just inland from ocean beaches, near river mouths, and on coastal plains.
These areas are typically flat, but they may have dunes or rocky bluffs.
Sandy or rocky beaches.
Plants grow best in the lowland tropics at elevations below 800 metres.
It grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum annual temperatures are within the range 21 – 32°c, though it can tolerate 10 – 36°c.
It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 – 3,400mm, though can tolerate from 700 – 4,200mm.
Succeeds in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position.
Prefers sands and loamy sands, though it also does well on silts, loam, and even clays if the drainage is good.
Tolerates saline soils.
Prefers soil that are neutral to moderately alkaline and rich in bases, however it will also grow in strongly acid soils.
A particularly useful plant for coastal gardens, being tolerant of salt spray.
Established plants are drought tolerant.
Light preference : Semi-Shade, Full Sun
Water preference : Moderate water
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