A large, open and well-formed tree native to tropical Asia. The oily nuts were used by the natives as candles, hence the name of the tree. The shells are black when ripe and, in Hawaii, are polished and used in leis. The kernels are eaten as a relish after baking and act as a laxative on some people. The plant grows in Hawaii and in the warmer protected areas of South Florida.
Propagation is by seeds or cuttings.
By Peggy Winter. The Family of the Guava. By John F. Donan. 1984 YB, pp 5-17 News from the Hills. By David Silber.