Terminalia neotaliala Seeds | Madagascar Almond
LATIN NAME: Terminalia neotaliala
COMMON NAME: Madagascar Almond
Plant Profile
Madagascar almond is a deciduous tree from the dry forests of western Madagascar, planted across the tropics for its extraordinary shape. It grows ten to fifteen metres tall and develops tiers of horizontal branches that stack in regular layers, each ending in a flat plate of small, bright green leaves, so that the crown looks built rather than grown. The trunk is smooth and pale grey, and the bark is faintly mottled. Leaves turn red before they fall, briefly, and the tree is bare for only a few weeks. Small, greenish flowers appear with the new leaves, followed by flat, winged fruit. It is a street tree in Singapore, Manila and Nairobi, and a specimen tree in any tropical garden with room.
Science & Biotechnology
Terminalia neotaliala is one of the Madagascar species of a genus of about three hundred trees spread across the tropics, and it is closely related to T. mantaly, with which it is often confused in the nursery trade. The two differ in leaf size and in the arrangement of the tiers, and DNA work has confirmed they are distinct. The layered branching is a real architectural adaptation rather than a pruning artefact: each tier is a sympodial unit that produces a flush of leaves, flowers and fruit and then extends, which is why the tree keeps its shape for decades. The genus is also studied for its ectomycorrhizal associations and for the tannins in its bark, and several Terminalia species are important in traditional medicine, which has led to chemical surveys of the group.
Uses & Benefits
The wood is light, strong and easy to work, used locally for furniture and construction, though the tree is planted far more often for shade than for timber. In tropical cities it is a favoured street and car park tree because its roots are deep rather than spreading and its crown casts a light, filtered shade that lets grass grow beneath. The fruit is not edible in any useful way, and the almond in the name refers to the shape of the seed rather than to its flavour. In a garden it works as a specimen on a lawn or at the edge of a terrace, where the tiered silhouette can be seen against the sky. It is also tolerant of salt wind, which makes it useful near the coast.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed in a free-draining mix of loam, sand and compost, one seed per deep pot, two centimetres down. Keep at twenty-five to thirty degrees with steady moisture; germination takes two to four weeks. The seedling grows quickly and needs a deep container, because the taproot develops before the shoot. Grow on in full sun, water well in the first season and then moderate. Plant out once the trunk is finger-thick, in a spot with at least eight metres of clearance, and stake for the first two years. Prune only to remove lower branches, since the tiered habit does the rest. Protect from frost, which it will not survive.
Our Take
A tree with a silhouette you can recognise at a hundred metres. Give it sun, space and a frost-free winter, and it needs nothing else.
Related Reading
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