Plant Family: Member of the Combretaceace family; other members include West Indian Almond or Zamande (Terminalia catappa)

Description: Wide-spreading, slow growing tree, up to 25 m tall (80 ft), sometimes with axillary spines in juvenile plants; full, oval to rounded crown with age; very dense foliage; leaves elliptical and leathery; tree flowers in February and sporadically throughout the year; flowers greenish to pale yellow in 10 cm spikes (4 in); ovary sometimes developing into a curved hornlike gall several centimeters long; fruit obliquely ovoid, about 1.25 cm long (0.5 in).

Natural Habitat: Full sun; does best in rich, moist, well-drained soil, but can be grown in almost any type soil; high tolerance to saline soils and drought, and does well in sea-side locations; heavy branches very wind tolerant.

Origin and Distribution: New World Tropics from Florida and the West Indies (excluding Dominica) to Central America.

Uses: Grown as ornamental and shade tree, but strong roots will uplift sidewalks and pavement.

References:
C.D. Adams. Flowering Plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies, Mona: Glasgow University Press, 1972.
FloridaGardener.com, Nov. 2002.