Woody > Choerospondias > Choerospondias axillaris > Choerospondias axillaris
Choerospondias axillaris
Nepali Lapsi
Origin: Nepal, Bhutan, Southern China, and Taiwan.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A fast-growing deciduous tree mostly cultivated for its fruit. Usually grows up to 20m tall in its native habitat but likely to be smaller in cultivation. Small, yellowish, or red flowers can be seen in springtime which is not as fascinating as others, but the fruit it produces has various uses. It’s used to make pickles widely consumed all over south Asia, while in Nepal the fruit is also used in religious ceremonies as an offering.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Anacardiaceae |
| Genus |
| Choerospondias |
| Species |
| axillaris |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 9a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H2 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -5 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 20 |
| Height |
| 18 - 20 m |
| Spread |
| 8 - 10 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A Nepali native plant commonly called Lapsi by the locals, but known as Nepali hog plum in English. It is found at an altitude ranging from 900m to 2000m above sea level. Male and female plants can be distinguished by the flowers. |
| Landscape |
| The plant is unimportant in the landscape, but it can be used as roadside plant as it is highly pollution tolerant. It has a high ornamental feature and can be used as a shade casting tree. The fruit acts as a great wildlife attraction. |
| Cultivation |
| Grows best in deep, moist soils with protection from strong winds and freezing temperatures. It prefers full sun and partial shade. Can survive in soil with a high pH level. |
| Shape |
| Upright tall structure that takes about 10 to 20 years to reach its ultimate height. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| The fruit is the main part to distinguish the plant from others. Large edible fruit. The greyish-brown bark exudes a sticky resin and splits to reveal a pink inner layer. Leaves emerge tinged red in spring, maturing to green before turning red again in the autumn. |
| Pests |
| Generally pest and disease free. |
| Habitat |
| Lapsi has been recorded at elevation between 900m to 2000m in the mid mountain range of Nepal. Usually found in well-drained soil. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is dark grey or red-brown and the inner bark is red. The bark is also described as cracked and peeling in vertical flakes. The external bark is steel grey with vertical fissures. Fissures are only seen in old growth and not in young growth. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are alternate, fasciculate at the ends of branches, imparipinnate, 30-40 cm long, 4-15 pairs of leaflets. Elliptical shape, green upper surface, lower surface is glaucous and yellowish, leaves turn red before falling. |
| Flower Description |
| Yellowish or Red flower, 0.3-0.5 cm diameter in terminal or axillary panicles (male) or racemes (female). Male flowers occur in long clusters and have curving, brown-veined petals about 3 mm long. Female flowers are solitary in leaf axils at the tip of the branch. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit is about 3 cm long and has a soft whitish sour flesh and green to yellow skin. Lapsi fruit can be ellipsoidal, obovate-ellipsoidal, or spherical. There is a big seed inside the fruit. |
| Texture Description |
| Hard and brittle. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Can be seen throughout the mid mountain range of Nepal. |
| Propagation |
| Lapsi can be vegetatively propagated by chip building, grafting, propagation of hardwood and softwood cuttings and by tissue culture. Primarily propagated by seed, seeds consumed by ruminant animals appear to germinate sooner than non-digested seeds. Dried seeds are viable for 9 months to 1 year. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Apart from consumption in some of Nepali culture, Lapsi is used as offerings in religious ceremonies. |
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