About Pachira glabra Pasq.
Pachira glabra Pasq. grows to between 9 and 18 meters (30 to 60 feet) tall. Its leaves are compound, with 5 to 9 leaflets arranged in a fan shape. The bark is smooth and greenish-gray, and the trunk is typically swollen at the base even when the tree is young. Its large, white, fragrant flowers grow on a long terminal peduncle; they open at night and fall off by midday the next day. The smooth green fruit of this species is 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) long, and splits open naturally to reveal 10 to 25 irregularly rounded brown seeds, each roughly 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) in diameter. This species is native to eastern Brazil, where it grows along rivers and other waterways. Pachira glabra is highly adaptable to many different types of soil, and grows well in both full sun and partial shade. It is resistant to both drought and flooding.
