Spanish Cherry
Mimusops elengi L.
Location
Boys Hostel
Family
Sapotaceae
Common names
Spanish Cherry, Bakul, Maulsari
Native range
South and Southeast Asia
Habitat
Tropical forests, gardens, and urban landscapes
Flowering
Year-round with peak flowering during warm months
Fruiting
Follows flowering; fruits ripen year-round depending on climate
Conservation status
Not threatened; widely cultivated and naturalized
About this plant
Leaves are simple, alternate, ovate to oblong, glossy, and dark green. Flowers are fragrant, creamy-white with dense hair on petals, occurring in axillary clusters. The fruit is a fleshy, ovoid berry that turns yellow to orange when ripe, with edible pulp and a large seed.
Uses
Widely planted as an ornamental and sacred tree, especially in temple gardens. The fragrant flowers are used in making hair oils and perfumes. The bark and seeds have medicinal uses for dental care, fever, and skin ailments.
Growing conditions
Prefers full sun to partial shade, grows in well-drained fertile soils, and tolerates moderate drought once established. Thrives in warm, humid tropical climates
Habit
Evergreen tree