Seaside Mahoe
(Portia Tree)
Thespesia populnea
Plant Family: Malvaceae
Leaves: Alternate, simple, heart-shaped, to 22 cm, the major veins are yellow and number 5 to 7.
Bark: Gray, strongly fissured on older trees, less so on younger trees.
Flowers: White, with five petals that have a red spot at the base, attractive, to 8 cm across; all year, peaking in summer.
Fruits: Green-yellow, rounded, in five parts, ripening to purple-black, to 5 cm in diameter, they will stay on the tree for some time after ripening.
Habitat: Beaches and thickets along the landward zone of mangrove habitats; this coastal Asian tree is considered an invasive species in south Florida.
Growth Form: A small to medium-sized coastal tree that may attain a wide trunk diameter on older specimens.
Key Features: The coastal habitat, heart-shaped leaves, and distinctive flowers and fruits will identify Seaside Mahoe.
Comments: Seaside Mahoe is important to Indonesian and Pacific Islanders in its native habitat; the wood is carved into tools, ropes are twisted from the inner bark, and the plant provides food and medicine.
