About Sonneratia alba Sm.
Sonneratia alba Sm. can grow up to 40 meters (130 feet) tall, with a trunk diameter reaching up to 70 centimeters (30 inches). Its bark is brownish, cracked to fissured, and turns grey below the tidal mark. The flowers are white, with pink coloring at their base. Its dark green fruits grow up to 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. Sonneratia alba grows naturally across many tropical and subtropical regions, ranging from East Africa to the Indian subcontinent, southern China, the Ryukyu Islands, Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia, Australia, and the Western Pacific. It inhabits sheltered, sandy seashores and tidal creeks. In Borneo, this species is used as firewood. In Sulawesi, its wood is used to build houses and ships. In Malaysia and Indonesia, the sour fruits are used to flavor fish, and are sometimes eaten raw. Its leaves can also be eaten raw or cooked.
