Parmentiera cereifera, the candle tree, is a species of tree in the family Bignoniaceae. It is endemic to Panama, but it is also a commonly cultivated specimen in botanical gardens.[rx]
This tree grows up to 6 meters tall. The oppositely-arranged leaves are each made up of three leaflets. They are borne on winged petioles up to 5 centimeters long. The flower is solitary or borne in a cluster of up to four. The five-lobed corolla is greenish white. The fruit is a taper-shaped berry up to 60 centimeters long. It is green, ripening yellow, and waxy in texture. The fleshy fruit is edible.[rx]
| Candle Tree Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Candle Tree |
| Scientific Name: | Parmentiera cereifera |
| Origin | Central America – Panama |
| Colors | Green turning waxy, yellow |
| Shapes | Candle-shaped berry, 40–60 cm long by 1.5–2.5 cm |
Candle Tree, Parmentiera cereifera, is a species of tree belongs to Bignoniaceae family and is endemic to Panama. The family is affluent in secondary metabolites and contains many genera of high economic and medicinal values. It consists of 104 genera and 860 species. This specimen is commonly cultivated in botanical gardens. The tree grows to the height of 6 meters. Leaves are oppositely arranged which consists of three leaflets. Leaflets are glabrous, sub-sessile, elliptic or elliptic obovate and about 1.5–7 cm by 0.75– 3.5 cm. Petioles are winged upto 5 centimeters long. Flowers are solitary which forms in the cluster upto four. Corolla is five lobed and greenish white. Fruit is a taper shaped berry measuring 60 centimeters long. It is green which ripens to yellow and has a waxy texture. Seeds are ellipsoid, compressed and 2.5-3.5 mm long with edible and fleshy pulp.
Culinary uses
It is made into pickles and preserves.
References
