Scientific name: Thevetia peruviana

Family: Apocynaceae 

Origin: Central America.

Popular names: Napoleon's hat, snake nut, acaimirim, cerbera, auaí-guaçu.

Natural occurrence: throughout tropical America and practically throughout Brazil.

Characteristics: it is popularly known as Napoleon's Hat, due to the shape of its fruits. A shrubby species, with a woody texture, it has a branched stem, grayish bark and milky sap, which is very toxic. The leaves have a linear to lanceolate shape. The flowers, up to 5cm in diameter, are lightly scented and tubular, and may be yellow or peach in color.

They appear throughout the year, but more intensely in spring-summer and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The fruits are drupe-like, subglobose in shape, like a chestnut, with two to four large, poisonous seeds.

Uses: ornamental – species used to decorate gardens, both singly and in groups, forming masses in large grassy spaces; it also grows well in large pots. Widely used as a tree on sidewalks, roads and beaches, due to its small size.

Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thevetia_peruviana; https://www.floresefolhagens.com.br/chapeu-de-napoleao-thevetia-peruviana/; https://museunacional.ufrj.br/hortobotanico/arvoresearbustos/Thevetiaperuviana.html; https://www.ppmac.org/content/aguai-chapeu-de-napoleao

See all tree and shrub species mapped on Bahiana