Giant Cola (HT 2014 229)

Reference ID
HT 2014-229

Scientific name: Cola gigantea
Family name: Malvaceae
Girth: 3.30 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 15.2 m

Location
Singapore Botanic Gardens,
Orchid Plaza

The Giant Cola is a large evergreen tree that can reach 35 m in height, with a dense spreading crown with big leaves. Each leaf is about 30 cm in length, ovate with a heart-shaped base, crinkly, lobed and with a wavy margin, arranged spirally alternate on the branches. This species is native to tropical West Africa.

Parts of the plant are often used in its places of origin in treating whooping cough, asthma, malaria and fever, as well as various sicknesses. The nut, which is high in caffeine content, is bitter in flavour. The bark is used medicinally to treat swellings, gout, leprosy or as a pain-killer. Recent studies have evidenced the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of the leaf extracts.

This Tree was dedicated to Mr Nelson Mendela of South Africa, to commemorate his visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1997. It was endorsed as a Heritage Tree in 2014.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile here.

Gallery

📷: Brendon Phuah