Nagalinga

Planted in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Overview & Habitat

Couroupita guianensis, commonly known as the Cannonball tree, is a deciduous plant in the Lecythidaceae family.
Native to the tropical forests of Central and South America, it has spread to South and Southeast Asia.
The tree is known for its large, fragrant flowers and cannonball-like fruits, which contribute to its popularity.
It is also recognized for its potential medicinal uses.
In Sri Lanka and India, the tree is often misidentified as the Sal tree, a mistake dating back to the British colonists who introduced it in 1881.
Since its introduction, the Cannonball tree has become entrenched in religious and cultural settings, especially in Buddhist temples and Hindu shrines.

Couroupita guianensis stands up to 35 m (110 ft) tall, making it hard to miss.
Its leaves cluster at the tips of branches, reaching lengths of up to 57 cm (22 in).
The tree’s flowers grow directly from the trunk, a phenomenon known as cauliflory.
It can produce over 1,000 flowers in a single day.
These flowers turn the tree’s bark into a striking bouquet-like appearance.

The flowers emerge in long, dangling racemes, some reaching up to 80 cm (31 in), from the trunk of the tree.
This extraordinary display is known as ‘flagelliflory,’ an extreme form of cauliflory.
In some cases, the flowering is so prolific that the trunk becomes entirely cloaked in blooms.
A single tree can produce up to 1,000 flowers in a single day.
The flowers have a powerful and distinct scent that intensifies during the cooler hours of night and early morning.
Each flower measures about 6 cm across and features six petals that transition from deep pink and red at the base to paler yellow at the tips.
The stamens form two distinct groups: a central ring and a unique hood-like structure, which play a crucial role in the plant’s reproductive process.

The fruits are round, woody spheres, up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in diameter, giving the tree its common name, “cannonball.”
These “cannonballs” can take over a year to mature.
When they fall, they crack open, attracting animals like peccaries and domestic pigs.
Other animals, such as the paca and chickens, also eat the pulp, helping to disperse the seeds.
The seeds are protected by a layer of trichomes, allowing them to survive the digestive system of these animals and eventually germinate.

The flowers attract bees with pollen, despite producing no nectar.
The pollination process involves bees, especially Xylocopa brasilianorum.
Bees navigate through two distinct stamen areas in search of pollen.
Some pollen is fertile, and some is sterile, but bees still play a key role in reproduction.
Other visitors include Xylocopa frontalis, wasps, flower flies, and bumblebees.

While the cannonball tree’s fruits are not typically consumed due to their unpleasant smell, various parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine.
These parts have been used to treat conditions such as hypertension, tumors, malaria, and toothaches.
Scientific interest has also focused on the chemical compounds indigotin and indirubin, which are also found in the indigo plant.
These compounds may have applications as natural dyes.

Couroupita guianensis’ mistaken identity has solidified its place in South Asian culture.
Its hooded flowers have been interpreted as symbolic in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, resembling the nāga (snake-like deity) and the lingam (representation of the Hindu god Shiva).
This symbolism has led to the widespread planting of the tree at temples and religious sites across Asia.
Despite its foreign origins, the tree continues to be revered in these cultural contexts.
For over a century, the tree has existed in a cultural limbo—native to one continent but venerated in another.
While its true origins may still be unclear, its impact on human culture and its potential in medicine remain undeniable.