Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Sterculia foetida

Syn. Clompanus foetida

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Wild Indian Almond (English)
  • Jangli Badam (Hindi)
  • Vitkhadirah (Sanskrit)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Malvaceae
30m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Sterculia foetida bark

Bark

The grey bark is smooth, spotted with brown and faintly ridged.

Sterculia foetida leaves

Leaves

The branches are whorled and usually horizontal, the numerous branchlets gracefully up-curved and crowded at the ends with large, palm-like leaves, reminding one somewhat of the English Horse-chestnut.

Sterculia foetida flower

Flower

Reddish-green stems bear branched stalks ending in crimson-brown flowers; petal-like sepals, about 2.5 cm across, curl backward and vary from yellow to terracotta, crimson and brown. The smell of the flower is foul.

Sterculia foetida fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Aggregate of 1–5 woody follicles, scarlet when mature, boat-shaped and 5-lobed; each follicle contains several seeds.

Sterculia foetida

Did you know?

Cut bark and soaked seed pods release mucilage traditionally boiled into durable, water-resistant adhesive for sealing wooden fishing boats and making paper fans.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Indian Subcontinent to W. & Central Malesia, China, Cuba, Pakistan