Johore tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johore tree |
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| A drawing of L. alata in Fleurs, fruits et feuillages choisis de l'ille de Java by Berthe Hoola van Nooten | |
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Lepisanthes
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| Species: |
alata
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Lepisanthes alata, also known as the Johore tree, blimbing cina, ceri, or engkili, is a type of flowering plant. It's a tropical forest fruit tree that belongs to the lychee family. This tree is originally from Southeast Asia.
What Does the Johore Tree Look Like?
This tree is usually small, growing about 5 to 15 meters tall. Its leaves are "pinnate," meaning they have smaller leaflets arranged on either side of a central stem, like a feather. Each leaf has 5 to 13 pairs of these leaflets. They are often directly attached to the stem without a stalk, and their shape can be like a spear or a long oval.
Flowers and Fruits
The Johore tree produces beautiful flowers that hang down in clusters. These flowers can be wine-red or purple. After the flowers, the tree grows shiny, oval-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 2 to 4 centimeters long and 2 to 3 centimeters wide.
When the fruits are ripe, they turn red or purple. Inside each fruit, there are two seeds. These seeds are surrounded by a sweet, white, edible part called the "mesocarp." This is the fleshy part of the fruit that you can eat!
Where Does the Johore Tree Grow?
The Johore tree is found in Borneo, a large island in Southeast Asia. It likes to grow in mixed hill forests. You can find these trees at different heights, up to about 1,000 meters above sea level.
