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Canarium ovatum
Burseraceae FAMILY Vulnerable

Canarium ovatum

Canarium ovatum

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthMedium

Pili is a tree of the hot, wet tropical lowlands, where it is usually found at elevations below 400 metres[1]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 34°c, but can tolerate 12 - 40°c[2]. It cannot withstand low temperatures or even the slightest frost[1]. It prefers a rainfall that is distributed throughout the year with a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 4,000mm[1, 2]. Succeeds in both light and heavy soils[3]. Prefers a well-drained soil[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[2]. Mature trees can resist strong winds[1]. Trees flower all year round[4]. Young seedling trees can grow to a height of 2 metres or more in about 3 - 4 years, and do not usually produce side branches until this stage[3]. Seedling trees can produce their first flowers when about 4 years old[3]. On average, seedling trees start producing fruit 5 - 6 years after planting. Clonal trees bear fruit 3 - 4 years after planting[1]. Full production commences at around the age of 12 - 15 years[5] Yields of 140 kilos or more per tree have been obtained[6]. Wild forms usually have three, sometimes two kernels present in the nut, each in its own compartment[6]. In the case of cultivated trees, however, only one kernel is sometimes found in each nut[6]. When this is so, the kernel is proportionately larger and the nut easier to crack[6]. The tree is cultivated more or less by accident, having appeared as self-sown seedlings in hemp and coconut plantations[6]. Trees are dioecious - both male and female forms would normally need to be grown in order to produce fruit and seed. Functional hermaphrodites, however, exist within the species[1].

Propagation

Seed - most kernels tend to stick to their shell when fresh but come off easily after being dried to 3 - 5% mc, which takes 27 - 28 hours at 30°c[1]. The pericarp is also removed prior to sowing by dipping the fruits in hot water[1]. Sow the seeds in light shade in individual containers or in a nursery seedbed. The seedlings take 40 - 50 days to emerge, and should be potted into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle. The transplanted seedling initially grows slowly, but soon the growth rate picks up, stem height and girth increasing rapidly and new leaves unfolding continuously. Plant out when 25 - 30cm tall. One year-old seedlings can be used for rootstock[1]. Asexual propagation is best through patch budding, which has a claimed success rate of 85 - 90% in the Philippines. Cleft grafting is also successful[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Canarium+ovatum>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  2. [2]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  3. [3]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
  4. [4]Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. — Barwick. M. · Thames & Hudson, London · 2004 · ISBN 0-500-51181-0 ↩︎A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
  5. [5]Edible Nuts. — Wickens G.E. · FAO, Rome. · 1995 · http://www.fao.org/docrep/ · ISBN 92-5-103748-5 ↩︎Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  6. [6]Nuts. — Howes. F. N. · Faber · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
  7. [7]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
  8. [8]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
  9. [9]The World List of Threatened Trees — Oldfield S.; Lusty C.; and MacKinven A. · World Conservation Press; Cambridge UK · 1998 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN 1-899628-10 X ↩︎A list of the trees on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plant Species in 1998, often giving some information on habitat and the reasons for being on the list. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  10. [10]Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607. — Chudnoff. Martin. · USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin. · 1984 ↩︎Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
  11. [11]Tropix 7 — CIRAD · http://tropix.cirad.fr/en ↩︎An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.