Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Polyalthia longifolia

Edible: Fruit, Leaves

This tree grows up to 14 to 28 m tall. It is an evergreen tree keeping its leaves throughout the year. The bark can become gnarled and distorted. The trunk is straight. The leaves are long and narrow with a wavy margin. They are 22 cm long. They are dark green and shiny. New leaf growth is yellow. It has small flowers 2 cm across. The flowers are greenish yellow and have an appearance like a star. They occur in bunches. The small plum like fruit which develop change from green to black when ripe. They contain a ringed seed. The fruit are 2 cm across. There is a variety where the branches hang down (var. pendula)

A tropical plant. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It grows in India on the Deccan. It grows in lowland rainforest. It can grow in dry forest. It needs a fertile, well drained soil. It needs full sun. It is cultivated between 300-400 m altitude in southern China. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In Yunnan. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Common Names: “Custard apple", Indian Mast Tree, False ashoka, Arana, Ashoka, Ashupal, Asoka, Asoothi, Asopalav, Assothi, Asupal, Cemetery tree, Chorana, Debdari, Debdaru, Devdaru, Dhebudhaaru, Hessare, Indian willow, Kambadamara, Nara maamidi, Netti-lingam, Ubbina, Unboi

Synonyms: Guatteria longifolia (Sonnerat) Wallich;
Unona longifolia Dunal.;
Uvaria longifolia Sonnerat;