The Elephant apple is a fruit up to 9cm in size with sticky brown fruit pulp. It is very aromatic, has a sweet-sour taste and contains many vitamins and minerals. The plant is commercially grown in many different Asian countries, where the fruit pulp is processed to juice, jams or chutneys. It also frequently eaten as ice cream or enjoyed with some added coconut milk. The species can be found in the dry tropical areas of Asia, and mainly grows in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There, the Elephant apple tree can grow up to 9 metres tall, and it can withstand both dry periods and floods during the moesson season. In Europe the species will remain smaller and can be kept as a pot- or houseplant. Make sure to provide a well-draining soil and a sunny spot. In the winter the plant needs less water, but water it abundantly in the summer. The Elephant Apple is in the same family of all Citrus species and it also grows in the same way: slowly, with decorative leaves and prickly branches.

Sowing description: These seeds have a short shelf life and can be sown as soon as possible in sowing mix. Keep the soil lightly moist and cover it all with plastic or glass. Germination usually occurs within a few weeks at 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Family: Rutaceae
Scientific name: Limonia acidissima
Common name: Elephant apple / Wood Apple
Native to: India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka     

Sowing time: Whole year
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: 10 degrees Celsius