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Terminalia elliptica
Combretaceae FAMILY

Terminalia elliptica

Terminalia elliptica

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthMedium

A tree of the tropical lowlands, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres[1]. It grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum annual temperatures are within the range 22 - 35°c, though it can tolerate 5 - 48°c[2]. It can be killed by temperatures of -1°c[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, though can tolerate from 750 - 3,800mm[2]. Succeeds in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil and a position in full sun[3]. Young trees are tolerant of considerable shade[4]. Grows best in a moist, deep, heavy, clayey soil[1]. Tolerant of poor, shallow soils, though it might remain stunted if the conditions are too harsh[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, but tolerates 4.5 - 7.5[2]. The tree has a deep taproot[4]. The tree coppices freely[4]. The bark is fire-resistant[5].

Propagation

Seed - can be sown in containers or direct in situ. Germination rates are 5 - 50%[1]. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle, placing them in deep containers to accommodate the rapidly developing taproot[1]. The seed will usually store for at least two years when kept cool[1]. Cuttings. Grafting. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Terminalia+elliptica>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

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]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]A Manual of Indian Timbers. — Gamble. J. S. · Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh · 1972 · ISBN - ↩︎First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
  5. [5]Flowers of India — http://www.flowersofindia.net/ ↩︎A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
  6. [6]Plants and People of Nepal — Manandhar. N. P. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 2002 · ISBN 0-88192-527-6 ↩︎Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
  7. [7]The Commercial Products of India. — Watts. Sir George. · John Murray, London. · 1908 ↩︎A classic, with a comprehensive (as then known) listing of useful plants that were traded commercially at that time. It can be downloaded from various sites on the Internet.
  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. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎