Cannonball tree

Couroupita guianensis

Range: Central & South America

This amazing tree is known for its heavy, round, inedible fruit that is the size and shape of a cannonball. Its unusual, fragrant flowers are borne on twisting, tentacle-like branches that emerge from the trunk. The flowers have pollen-bearing structures reminiscent of sea anemones that attract bees. The tree is deciduous, dropping its leaves multiple times throughout the year. The cannonball tree has become a favorite ornamental tree for South Florida landscapes.