Trees of Odisha: Cannon Ball Tree
- Monalisa panda
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 18
Local Name -ନାଗା ଚମ୍ପା | ( Naga champa)
In this article
Botanical Overview :
Scientific name: Couroupita guianensis, family Lecythidaceae.
Common name: Cannonball tree, Nagalinga, Tope gola, Lingada hoovina mara, kaman gola, Naagalingam, shivalingam.
Native to: Central and South America (Amazon rainforest).
Height: Grows up to 25–35 meters tall.
Leaves: Simple, 8–31 cm long (can reach up to 57 cm)
Flowers in the Cannonball tree
Type: Cauliflorous and flagelliflorous — flowers grow directly from the trunk.
Size: Flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, with six brightly colored petals.
Color: Pink, red, and yellow.
Fragrance: Strong, especially at night and early morning.
Unique features:
Two types of stamens (ring and hood).
No nectar but attracts bees for pollen.
Around 1000 flowers can bloom on a single tree per day.
Fruits
Shape & size: Large, spherical (up to 25 cm), woody shell, resembling cannonballs.
Color: Brownish-grey.
Seeds: 65 to 550 per fruit, inside white, unpleasant-smelling jelly.
Maturation: Takes up to 12–18 months to mature.
Reaction: White pulp turns blue on oxidation.
Dispersal: By animals like peccaries, paca, pigs, and chickens.
Pollination
Pollinators: Mainly carpenter bees (e.g. Xylocopa brasilianorum, X. frontalis), wasps, flies, and bumblebees.
Pollen types: Fertile (ring stamens) and sterile (hood stamens).
Human Uses
Ornamental use: Cultivated for its fragrant flowers and unique fruits.
Traditional medicine: Used for treating hypertension, tumors, pain, inflammation, cold, stomach issues, skin problems, malaria, toothache (efficacy unproven).
Craft use: Fruit shells used to make utensils and containers.
Dye: Contains indigotin and indirubin, same compounds as in indigo dye.
Cultural & Religious Significance of Cannon Ball Tree
India & Sri Lanka: Misidentified as Sal tree, now commonly seen in temples.
Hinduism:
Called Nagalingam in Tamil Nadu.
Flower resembles Shiva Lingam with snake-like pollen structure.
Used in Shiva pooja.
Buddhism:
Planted in monasteries and temples in Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc.
Considered sacred due to confusion with Sal tree.
Where do I find it?
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