Common name: Divi Divi, American Sumac
Botanical name: Caesalpinia coriaria Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family)
Divi-divi is a leguminous tree or large shrub native to the Caribbean,
Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It grows up to 30 ft
tall, often much less. Its shape is very contorted in its native exposed
coastal sites. In other environments it grows into a low dome shape with a
clear sub canopy space. Leaves are double-compound, with 5-10 pairs of
side-stalks, each with 15-25 pairs of leaflets. The individual leaflets
are 7 mm long and 2 mm broad. Divi-Divi flowers during the warm weather, but the flowers are not very showy. They are yellow in color.
The fruit is a twisted pod 5 cm long.
Divi-divi is the national tree of CuraƧao and is very popular in Aruba
where it is also called "watapana". On these islands this tree is never
straight because of the coastal winds.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale
| Photographed in Jijamata Udyan, Mumbai. |
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