Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Dillenia indica
Elephant Apple
The Dillenia indica, or Elephant Apple, carries some of the most striking foliage of any Asian tree: leaves up to 35 centimetres long, deeply corrugated along parallel veins, glossy and held in dense rosettes at the branch tips. The effect is closer to a bromeliad than to a shade tree.
Large white flowers with a boss of yellow stamens open through the wet season, followed by heavy green fruit whose fleshy sepals are used in chutneys and curries across India and South East Asia.
Specifications
- Height10 to 15 metres, occasionally to 18 metres
- Width8 to 12 metres
- Native toIndia, southern China and South East Asia
- FoliageVery large, glossy, strongly corrugated leaves with parallel veins and toothed margins; evergreen
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilPrefers deep, moist, well-drained soils; suited to riverbank and high water table sites
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterModerate to regular; does not tolerate extended dry periods
- ClimateThrives in humid tropical and subtropical regions
Additional Features
- FlowersLarge white flowers to 20 centimetres across with a dense boss of yellow stamens
- FruitHeavy rounded green fruit formed of fleshy sepals, edible when cooked
- UsesPark and botanic planting, shade and specimen trees, riverbank and lakeside schemes
- SpacingPlant 8 to 10 metres apart to allow the crown to develop
- Low MaintenanceLittle pruning needed; clear fallen fruit from paths and lawns
- Pest ResistanceRobust and generally untroubled
- Wildlife AttractionFruit is taken by birds, bats and large mammals in its native range
The Elephant Apple is a shade tree bought for its leaf, which is bolder than anything else available at the same scale.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026