NAPOLEON'S HAT

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 that is highly toxic. The leaves are linear to lanceolate in shape. The flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter, are slightly fragrant and tubular, and can 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 – a species used in garden decoration, both individually and in groups, forming mass plantings in large grassy areas; it also grows well in large pots. Due to its small size, it is often used as a small tree along sidewalks, roadsides, and beaches.

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