Cannon balls (to you)....one of natures weirdest plants.

Botanical Name : Couroupita guianensis

Family : Lecythidaceae
Hindi : Nagalinga नागलिंग , Tope gola तोप गोला
Kannada : Lingada mara, Nagalingam
Marathi : Sivalingamhori
Malayalam: Nagalingam
Hardiness: It will only grow in tropical zones and is very susceptible to frost.

Growing Environment: Provide lots of water and humidity for optimal growth.

Propagation: By seeds.

Uses: Fruits are edible and are occasionally eaten, but the smell of the white flesh discourages most people from trying them. On the other hand, the flowers have a wonderful smell and can be used to scent perfumes and cosmetics. The hard shells of the fruit are sometimes used as containers.

Native Range: Native to rainforest of the Guiana's in Northeastern South America.

This has to be one of the weirdest plants iv encountered as a horticulturist these awesome beauties are seen all over our country abundantly planted near various Buddhist/Shiva temples , considered a sacred tree among Hindus because the flower resembles a nag or a sacred snake on the central large shiva lingam .

The tree is deciduous and large, 50-80 feet in its native lands. It is said to have special significance in the Buddhist religion. Flowers (followed by fruit), grow directly from the trunk. Fruits are soft and very fleshyhe seeds are embedded in a six-segmented, fleshy pulp that oxidizes bluish-green and emits an unpleasant aroma when exposed to the air

Why i find this tree particularly weird is the peculiar fact that the flowers of the tree have no nectar within them. They do, however, contain pollen, carried mainly by bees, which is so abundant that the bees use it as a ready source of nourishment.

These fabulous trees are well worth looking for, though it is hardly advisable to be standing below them during the time when the ripe fruits, which can weigh several kilos, come plummeting down to the earth below. Warning signs are often posted near cannonball trees, to keep people at a safe distance. The wonders of the natural world are endless and inspiring, and this wonderful tree is indeed a wonder. Keep an eye out, if you are ever in the areas where they grow.