Other common names
East Indian cork tree, Ethiopian sour gourd, Judas's bag, monkey bread tree
Trees
An unusual, slow-growing, deciduous tree up to around 6m in height, with a cylindrical trunk which can reach up to 28m in its native Africa, but more likely around 6m within the UK, at the most. It has large, divided, dark blue-green leaves which turn yellow and crispy in the autumn, and thick, greyish-brown bark. The large, white flowers hang from long stalks and appear in summer on mature trees, opening in the late afternoon with a sweet fragrance then turning brown with a less pleasant fragrance by the following day. Makes an interesting houseplant or bonsai. Drought-resistant once established
Position
Full sun
Soil Types
Loam, Sand
Max Height
4-8 metres
Max Spread
4-8 metres