Page 48 - (DK) I Can’t Believe It! 2

46
Armed and

deciduous

There’s no better protected
tree than the Cannonball. This
gargantuan grower is found

in South American forests
and attacks without

warning. Avoid being
in the firing line when its
weighty fruits blast off.

A member of the Brazil nut family, the
Cannonball tree’s proper name is Couroupita
guianensis. Found in the rain forests of the
Guianas (an area of northeastern South America)
and in India, the tree’s sweet-smelling flowers are
used in perfumes and cosmetics. Its heavy fruits
look like rusty cannonballs and when ripe, they fall
to the ground and smash open with a bang. Locals
use the fruit shells to craft containers and utensils.

TREE TREATMENT
The Cannonball’s bark, leaves,
and fruit have been used in
medicine for centuries. The
beneficial bark is said to
prevent colds and have
antiseptic properties, while
the leaves treat various skin
diseases. The stinky fruit is
used as a natural disinfectant
for open wounds.

US_046_047_309600_Cannonball_Tree.indd 46 19/12/17 12:56 pm