calabur tree
Muntingia calabura
The fruit is often called the 'Cotton Candy berry' because its sweet, brownish pulp tastes remarkably like toasted sugar or strawberries.
- Scientific name
- Muntingia calabura
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Malvales › Muntingiaceae › Muntingia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical lowlands, forest edges, disturbed sites, and urban roadsides.
- Diet
- Photoautotrophic (requires full sun and well-drained soil).
- Range
- Mexico, Central America, South America, Southeast Asia, India, Philippines
- Size
- 7-12 meters in height with a spreading, tiered canopy.
- Lifespan
- 15-30 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Urban development and competition from climax forest species during late-stage succession.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and welcoming. This tree provides ample shade and edible fruit. You may approach closely; however, be mindful of the many stinging insects or birds that may be feeding on the berries. The fruit is safe for human consumption if correctly identified, but avoid trees near heavy road pollution.
Muntingia is a genus of plants in the family Muntingiaceae, comprising only one species, Muntingia calabura . It is native to the neotropics, from Mexico south to Bolivia.
Photo: Jorge Armín Escalante-Pasos, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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