Scientific Name: Terminalia Catappa

Common names: Tropical Almond, Beach Almond, Indian almond, Sea almond, Barbados almond, Malay almond

Terminalia Catappa is often mistaken for what is known as true Hawaiian Kamani, Calophyllum inophyllum because of their similar appearance. Typically  grows 30-55 feet tall and around 18-24 inches in diameter on average. Can reach 80 feet tall in the most ideal conditions. Much like C. inophyllum, T. Catappa likes to grow in coastal or low elevation areas under 1,300 feet. Both are also salt, drought and wind tolerant. Other similarities are in leaf shape and coloring. When the glossy, green and leathery leaves age and bein to die they will typically turn red, rusty-orange, yellow and even purple colors that make the tree appealing to landscapers for their colorful visual interest.

The outside of the fruit and the seed of this tree are edible raw unlike true almonds. Unlike Hawaiian kamani the fruits and seeds for T. Catappa are ovoid in shape instead of round and is one of the easiet ways to distinguish between the two species.

Wood is moderately dense and strong. Works and finishes well and can have a pleasant almond odor when being worked. Wood color can have beautiful chattoyance much like true kamani displays, but false kamani usually has blonder wood with red and pink tones. 

*No janka scale listing for this wood.