Terminalia catappa: West Indian-Almond: ENH-784/ST626, 12/2018

Abstract

Tropical-Almond is a 30 to 55-foot-tall, deciduous tree which forms a symmetrical, upright silhouette in youth with horizontal branches reaching 35 feet in width. The branches are arranged in obvious tiers, giving the tree a pagoda-like shape. As the tree grows older, the crown spreads and flattens on the top to form a wide-spreading vase shape. The large, 12-inch-long and six-inch-wide, glossy green, leathery leaves change to beautiful shades of red, yellow, and purple before dropping in winter. Due to their large size, these old leaves may be considered a nuisance to some people. Original publication date November 1993.