Barringtonia asiatica
(L.) Kurz.
Fish Killer tree, Beach Barringtonia
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Pods, Seeds, Fruit, Flowers, Caution
The young leaf shoots, young flowers, and young fruit may be eaten fresh. Young fruit are eaten as a vegetable, and the seeds have been recorded as cooked and eaten in Indonesia and the Andaman Islands. Cooking destroys the saponins.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. They occur along the seashore throughout the islands of Asia and the Pacific. Trees often lean out over the sea. It prefers well-composted, moist, well-drained soil. It can grow easily in sandy soil. It can tolerate salty soils. It suits a protected sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.
Africa, American Samoa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Cambodia, Carolines, Chuuk, Comoros, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, French Polynesia, FSM, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Mascarenes, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tahiti, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Indies,
How to Identify
A small tree. It is 5-9 m tall. It can grow up to 25 m. It spreads to 3-5 m wide. The trunk is short and erect and branches occur from near the base. The leaves are 20 to 40 cm long and 10-15 cm wide and without individual leaf stalks. They are shiny light green, and larger near the tip than the base. The tip is rounded and somewhat pointed. The flowers are large and pink and white. They are 3-5 cm across. The fruit is sharply 4 and rarely 5-angled. The fruit are 12 cm across, woody and broad at one end. They contain one large seed.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from cuttings or seed. Seed need to be sown fresh. Seed germinate readily. Young trees need shade. Plants can be grown by layering.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. About 70% of the seed germinates in 36 - 63 days. Cuttings.
Medicinal Uses
A decoction of the leaves is used to treat hernia. The leaves are heated and externally applied for stomach-ache. Fresh leaves are applied topically to bring relief from rheumatism and to treat sores. The fruits are applied externally as a treatment for sores. The toxic seeds are employed as a vermifuge. Although toxic, the dried nut is ground, mixed with water and drunk to treat coughs, influenza, sore throat and bronchitis. Used externally, the fresh nut is scraped and applied directly to wounds and sores. It is also applied to a swollen spleen after an attack of malaria. A decoction of the bark is used to treat constipation and epilepsy. The bark is used externally for treating sores. In tests, the leaf material of this species was active against some tumours.
Other Uses
The dried fruits are used as floats. The yellowish to red wood is light, soft and easy to split. It is used for making furniture, carving and turnery.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Barringtonia asiatica, known variously as fish poison tree, putat and beach Barringtonia among other names, is a species of plants in the brazil nut family Lecythidaceae. It is native to coastal habitats from Tanzania and Madagascar in the west to tropical Asia, northern Australia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was described by Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1875 and has a conservation status of least concern. It has been used by a number of traditional cultures as a fish poison.
Production
Seed take up to 2 months to germinate but seedlings grow very quickly.
Other Information
It is not known if it is used for food in Papua New Guinea. A very minor food.
Notes
The seeds are used as a fish poison due to a chemical saponin. There are about 40 Barringtonia species. The seeds contain Hydrocyanic acid and triterpene acids.
Names & Synonyms
Bitung, Botong, Butun, Fish Poison Tree, Futu, Hotu, Hutu, Keben, Keiengal, Kimbi, Kinbi, Kyi-gyi, Motong-botong, Navel, Pertun, Putat ayer, Putat gajah, Putat laut, Puteng, Queens of shores, Reang, Sea putat, Te baireati, Vutu, Waap, Waba, Waiep, Wan bibi
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