Cocky Apple - Lecythidaceae Planchonia careya

Family: Lecythidaceae

Genus: Planchonia

Species: careya

Eatable Part: Fleshy Fruit

Height: 10 Meters

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Rocky / Escarpment, 0W, MW

Distribution:

Tropical Australia and Papua New Guinea

Description

This is another very common tree found across the savannah woodland as a mid story plant. The leaves are elliptic and range in size to about 10 cm. The new leaf shoots can be a stunning purple colour. The flowers form in the dry season and are beautiful with long white stamens and pink centres. The fruit forms at the end of the year from late November and is large (up to 5 cm long) and oval.

Tasting Notes

The large oval fruit is a yellow-green colour when ready and to 5 cm long and oval shaped. The fuit can be eaten when soft and has small seeds inside its flesh. The exture can be described as rich and milky, a little like a small stringy avocado. Often bugs are already eating the fruit inside, when it is soft and ripe.