Pachypodium lealii (Bottle Tree)

Native to northwestern Namibia and southwestern Angola, this succulent shrub or tree grows on dry, rocky hillsides. It can reach about 26 feet tall and has a swollen, bottle-shaped trunk that narrows toward the branches. Fragrant white flowers, flushed purple underneath, often appear before the leaves. Its thick trunk stores water through dry periods. Its fruits grow in V-shaped pairs and split open to release seeds with tufts of hair that aid dispersal. The highly poisonous sap has traditionally been used as an arrow poison. Photographed in Florida.