Pachira aquatica (Money Tree)

Native from Mexico through Central America to tropical South America, this tree grows in swamp forests and beside rivers and streams. Mature trees can develop buttress roots at the base of the trunk. Its fragrant flowers have five long petals that curl backward around a brush-like mass of stamens. The large woody fruit capsules split into five sections at maturity, releasing seeds surrounded by white pulp. The seeds are traditionally roasted or boiled and are described as tasting like chestnuts or roasted peanuts; in Panama and Colombia they are also ground into flour for bread. The wood is used for paper pulp and boxes. It can be propagated from seeds, stem cuttings or grafting. Photographed in the Andes of Colombia and Florida.