Description

• This is a good tree for small gardens. Indian tulip tree is an evergreen bushy tree.
• It grows to 40 ft or more with a spread of 10–20 ft
• It has heart-shaped leaves and cup-shaped yellow flowers that are produced intermittently throughout the year in warm climates.
• Each flower has a maroon eye that ages to purple. The flowers are followed by apple-shaped fruit.

Uses

• Young leaves eaten as vegetable. The unripe fruits are eaten raw, boiled or fried as a vegetable.
• Ground up bark is used to treat skin diseases (India), dysentery and haemorrhoids.
• Leaves are applied to inflamed and swollen joints (South India) When cut, the young fruit secretes a yellow sticky sap used to treat ringworm and other skin diseases (South India)
• Roots are used as a tonic. There is some modern investigation of the plant’s effects on high blood pressure.