Indian Almond

Terminalia catappa

Beng: KaTh / deshi / bangla badam Hindi: Jangli badam

Tall straight deciduous tree with whorled almost horizontal branches, large glossy leaves growing towards the end of the branches, leaves are widest near tip and tapering to a very small leaf-stalk.

Bark: Rough grayish brown, becomes very rough with age

Leaf: Large, 6-10’’ long shinning, dark green when mature, becomes red before falling.

Flower: Small, whitish, in slender spikes in the axils of the leaves, spikes are much smaller than the leaves

Fruit: 2’’ long egg-shaped compressed drupe with two ridges

Season: The leaves turn red from November onwards, and are renewed in February. The flowers appear principally during March and April, and again during June and July, but a third flush often appears at the end of the rains. The fruits mostly ripen in May to October (depending upon from which crop of flowers)

Range/habitat: Originally from coastal Malay peninsula and Andamans but has been cultivated and become naturalized in India, mostly along the coastal areas.

Trivia and notes:  Though the kernel are edible and quite tasty, they are hardly eaten since they are difficult the extract. Favorite food for parakeets (especially Alexandrian parakeet) and other birds and bats who acts as agent of seed dispersal.

This tree is very susceptible to damage by strong winds. So, should be planted with care.

Where to Find: In Rabindra sarovar, Kolkata, the most mature tree is badly damaged (but just surviving). It is near the lake shore some 70 meters towards lake club direction from the labelled Gab tree in the north-west side of the lake GPS: 22.51161N, 88.35746E