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Sterculia foetida
Also called Java Olive, Indian Almond
In Singapore: Hazel Sterculia, Kalupat, Kabu-Kabu, Kepoh, Indian Almond, Wild Almond, Java Olive, Skunk Tree, Bastard Poon Tree, Kelumpang, Kelumpang Jari, Kayu Lepong (Grown in Singapore)
2 NParks heritage trees in Singapore: Found in Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Orchid Garden Nursery; Found in Singapore Botanic Gardens, outside Plant Resource Ctr
Sterculia foetida is a large, fast-growing, soft-wooded tree from South and Southeast Asia, known for its foul-smelling flowers and seeds. It is grown outdoors in warm, seasonally dry tropical climates rather than as a houseplant.
Sterculia foetida is a soft-wooded tree that can grow up to 35 metres (115 feet) tall. Common names for the plant are the bastard poon tree, Java olive tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree, and skunk tree.
The oil of Sterculia foetida has been found to be comparable to sunflower, soybean, and grapeseed oils for the use of biofuels. Sterculia foetida oil contains cyclopropene fatty acids (CPFA) such as 8,9 methylene-heptadec-8-enoic acid (malvalic acid) and 9,10-methylene-ocadec-9-enoic acid (sterculic acid). The flash point, iodine value, free fatty acid count, phosphorus content, cloud point, pour point, viscosity at 40 °C, oxidative stability at 110 °C, density, and trace metal count are all within ASTM and EN specifications.
Evidence suggests that the seeds are edible, but purgative, and should be roasted prior to eating. At least one review indicates that CPFA such as sterculic acid are carcinogenic, co-carcinogenic, and have medical and other effects on animals; according to this review, "CPFA in food is dangerous to human health".
Sterculia foetida is native to the following regions as defined in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions:
Panama tree · Spotted Sterculia · Chinese Chestnut · Sterculia parviflora · Peanut tree · Sterculia rubiginosa · Sterculia · Star Chestnuts
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sterculia foetida by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
