Cerbera odollam
Chiute, Chatthankai, Grey Milkwood, Sea Mango, Pong Pong TreeFamily: Apocynaceae
Origin: Southern Asia
This is a small to medium-sized tree with dark foliage and showy, white flowers which are very fragrant. The whorled leaves are crowded near the ends of rather thickish branches with conspicuous leaf scars below. The fragrant white flowers have a yellow throat. The fruits are often twinned, ellipsoid and speckled green. The seed coat is thin and after falling, soon decays, exposing fibrous tissue. Seeds are extremely poisonous. This plant is similar to Plumeria, but the leaves are smaller and slightly rolled with a reddish midrib. Pong Pong is one of popular ornamental plants which has unique characteristic. Its seed looks like a ball which has beautiful skin. It can be grown in a small pot to show on office desk or everywhere you want for decoration. Moreover when it grows enough, it also has beautiful shape, with white flowers and many young green seeds.
Growing from seed: Place the seed horizontally on top of the soil and dig it in 1/3 size. It should sprout within 3-4 weeks at temperature above 80-85F (Will take much longer at cooler temepature). You may grow this plant like a "Lucky Bean" and place the pot on your desktop or a window sill. In the ground it will grow in a small-size (8-10 ft) bushy tree.
Cerbera odollam is similar to Cerbera manghas and in some sources these names are considered as synonims.
Similar plants:
- Cerbera floribunda (Cassowary Plum, Cassowary Plum Tree, Grey Milkwood)
- Cerbera manghas (Native Frangipani)
- Cerbera sp. (Cerbera Enchanted Incense)
- Rauvolfia verticillata, Cerbera chinensis, Dissolaena verticillata, Ervatamia ophiorhizoides, Rauvolfia yunnanensis, Tabernaemontana densiflora (Devil Pepper)
