provision tree

Also known as Malabar Chestnut, Guiana Chestnut, Saba Nut, French Peanut

Provision trees thrive along tropical riverbanks and swampy wetlands, anchored by flared buttress roots and swollen trunks that store water. Large nocturnal blossoms open at dusk like pale shaving brushes, attracting nocturnal pollinators with their rich fragrance. Giant woody pods follow the flowers, eventually splitting open to drop dense clusters of striped seeds into surrounding waterways.