This familiar tropical tree is the Tamarind Tree, Tamarindus indica.

It develops a broad, spreading crown of fine, feathery foliage. Each leaf is made up of many small paired leaflets, which may fold together at night or during very dry conditions.

The flowers are small but attractive, with pale yellow petals marked by red or orange veins. After pollination, they develop into curved brown pods.

Inside each pod is a sticky reddish-brown pulp surrounding several hard seeds. The pulp has a distinctive sweet-and-sour flavor and is widely used in drinks, sauces, candies, chutneys, and Caribbean cooking.

Although the scientific name indica suggests India, the Tamarind Tree is believed to have originated in tropical Africa. It was carried to India so long ago that early botanists assumed it was native there.

A mature Tamarind Tree can live for many years and provide deep shade beneath its wide canopy. Its hard wood is also valued, but the fruit is what has made the tree important in cultures throughout the tropics.

The Tamarind Tree is a good example of a plant that is both beautiful and useful—offering shade, food, and a flavor recognized around the world.