Tropical Plant "Tapia"
Crataeva tapia

Characteristics - Crataeva tapia is not a cultivated fruit tree nor is it of frequent oc-curence in its natural habitat, the Atlantic Forest from Pernambuco to Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo, from sea level to 1200 m altitude. It is a evergreen tree, 5-12 m tall. Leaves are compound , trifoliate, with membranous leaflets, glabrous, 5-10 cm long. Inflorescences in terminal corymbose racemes with white petals, and long, vina-ceous stamens, form during the period of August and September. Fruits, of the berry-type, ripen during the months from January to May. They contain an edible, succulent pulp with a sweet flavor. When the fuits fall and begin to decompose, they give off a disagreeable odor, that leads people to believe they are not edible.

Uses - The fruits are consumed in their natural state, but are not generally appreciated.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.