Cannonball Tree

rainforest · tropical trees · flowers

Native rainforest giant. The cannonball tree grows wild in the humid lowland rainforests of Central and South America, stretching from Costa Rica all the way down to Brazil and Bolivia.

Fruit like cannonballs. This tree produces enormous round fruits that look and feel like cannonballs, which is exactly where it got its name. The fruits are brownish grey and can be quite heavy.

Sweet-smelling flowers. The cannonball tree is famous for its fragrant, beautiful flowers that smell wonderful. People grow these trees in tropical gardens around the world just to enjoy their amazing smell.

Religious significance. In Sri Lanka and India, people often plant cannonball trees in Buddhist temples because they mistakenly thought they were a sacred tree called the Sal tree. The tree became an important part of temple gardens and religious traditions.

Medicinal potential. Different parts of the cannonball tree, from its bark to its fruits, have been used in traditional medicine and could have helpful healing properties.