Dillenia indica

Native to SE Asia, from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka east to SW China (Yunnan) and Vietnam, and south through  Thailand to Malaysia and Indonesia.

You are bidding on * fresh seeds shipped from Hawaii.

This large, evergreen tropical tree is native to forest riverbanks  across tropical Asia and grows up to 15 m tall. Its branches are used to make good firewood.


The leaves of the Elephant Apple are simply beautiful. Each is papery, glossy dark green and the size of a man’s foot.  Undersides are downy and parallel pleats complete the amazing and pretty foliage characteristics.


Dillenia indica produces solitary large, 15–20 cm diameter, with five white petals and numerous yellow stamens flowers from June  to August. The flowers are short-lived.


The knobby grapefruit-sized fruits are yellow-green, and ripen with a leathery brown covering and many interior brown-black  seeds.

The fruits are edible. They are crisp and aromatic (almost onion-like) with an acid flesh. Unripe fruits are often  pickled or used as chutney.

The Legend of the Money Tree

Dillenia indica was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese. The legend says that D. Pedro I of Brazil (D. Pedro IV of Portugal)  sent the fruits of the Elephant Apple tree to Portugal with the message “In this land money grows on trees”.

When the Portuguese opened the fruits they’ve lost their speech! All the fruits had patacas’ coins  (the Brazilian currency) inside!

D. Pedro in such a way wanted to symbolize the natural richness of Brazil. The trick was so good that  even today people from Portuguese speaking countries keep talking about the Patacas’ tree as a hypothetical easy way to make money.

But how did the fruits had coins inside without being opened before?

The Elephant Apple tree is known in Brazil also as the chest-fruit tree, and the origin of this name is the key to solve the mystery.

When the flowers of Dillenia indica are fertilized, the fruit grows in the middle as usual, however, also the petals start  developing and growing around, becoming juicy, edible and protecting the fruit inside. So, what you place in the flower  (between the ovary and the petals) remains there, and obviously the coins that D. Pedro placed in the flowers remained inside  until fruits got ripe and someone got them.

An interesting study in the Buxa Tiger Reserve by ecologists Sekar & Sukumar has shown  that Asian elephants appear to have a particular fondness for the fruits of Dillenia indica, so they are an important seed dispenser for this tree.


Because Elephant Apple is a main source of food for elephants, monkeys and deer, it is prohibited to collect fruits from the  core areas of the forest. Commercial sale of the fruit is also prohibited in order to help the food-chain system of the forest  from dismantling totally.


Dillenia indica preferes full to partial sun and an acidic, humusy soil with average drainage. The best conditions for this  tree is lots of heat and high humidity. It’s sensitive to cold, but will survive a brief encounter with frost.

All good things  take time, so I grow my plants and rare palms in  my  ebay store.

Much more to check out or just get a little  education on in my store.

 

Shipping

 

ATTENTION USA BIDDERS!

        All bare-root live plants shipped are  wrapped in moist sphagnum moss to ensure the  plant's healthy transit to you. All live plants are  Inspected By USDA Plant Inspectors before they are shipped  to insure you get healthy pest free plants and seeds.

We ship  via USPS Mondays-Wednesday with Delivery confirmation.

    All plant materials are  required by LAW to inspected and certified by USDA prior to  export Hawaii to the US Mainland.

After Inspection, USDA stamps released for  export Hawaii to the US Mainland. All items are delivered to  USDA Inspection Station at Honolulu International airport.

USDA Certification charge  is included in Shipping and Handling @ $5 fee per  item/species.

There is a packing and custom boxing fee.

Last and usually least is USPS postage (shipping)

ATTENTION  INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS!

We can  ship certified live plants to the US only. Only Domestic  Shipping and Handling includes USDA Certification.

International  Buyers
– Please Note:
The additional charge ($75US) for any Phytosanitary Certificate  is not included in this offer. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the  item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's  responsibility.

We do  ship Seeds Internationally worldwide.

Please check with your country's customs office to  determine what these additional costs will be prior to  bidding or buying.

Proper Permits and Documents are the  Buyer's responsibility.

Please  request any documents prior to shipping.

For  foreign customers, please check your laws concerning  permitting and customs, additional shipping and handling  costs may apply.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS is available only under these conditions!

All international orders are shipped at  the  BUYER'S RISK

 (shipped with or  without documents) and no refunds or replacements are  offered for Dead On Arrival, loss, confiscation, Customs  Seizure, unanticipated charges, etc.

All International shipments are at Buyer's  Risk. Please spend no more more than you can lose!

 

Payment

We accept online  payments only through PayPal, Cash payments are only  acceptable for in-person pick-ups and cash-on-delivery  (COD). Cash payment can not be sent through the mail.  Message me if you want to send cash.

   

Please only one Paypal  payment. SO THE COMBINED SHIPPING RULE WILL CAN BE USED.  Late or Multiple PayPal payments are NOT eligible for any  discount.

We will ship once a  week - ON or BEFORE WEDNESDAYS, because of the special  stamps needed to ship plants and cuttings to you. This can  only be done at the Dept. of Agriculture. If payments are  not met before that MONDAY, your items will be shipped the  following week and NOT eligible for any combined discount.  Non-paying bidders will be reported as an unpaid item to  eBay.

COMBINED SHIPPING POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING is not included in this offer.

   

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS on a case by case  basis.

We will  combine shipping for auctions won on the same week paid with  same PayPal payment.

This policy is good  for auction items bought and paid for in the week ending  MONDAY.

We  ship on Tuesdays.

Payment must be received within 4 days of the auction  ending.

Combined Discounts Won Auctions

For 2-3  winning auctions, the combined discount is 10% of the total  Shipping and Handling charges.

For 4-7  winning auctions, the combined discount is 20% of the total  Shipping and Handling charges.

For 8+  winning auctions, the combined discount is 30% of the total  Shipping and Handling charges.

As each order is packed and prepared separately you will pay  the quoted S/H charges individually per item. If you buy the  same species in that item it does calculate out the discount  (i.e.: additional items)

My stores' combined  shipping is built in for same items rather than a varied  selection. Domestic S/H includes postage, USDA certification  and inspection, proper packing and delivery to Airport for  prompt delivery.

I can't really change  any of these. If you want one of this and one of that, it is  hard to discount much as each different species requires  it's own prep, packing, then at USDA each has to be  unwrapped and inspected then repacked. USDA requires us to  clean and prepare every last piece before we drive them to  the Inspection Station on the other side of the island.

This requirement takes  my wife and I, 2-3 days to pack items and get ready to ship.  The whole next day we drive around the island and get  inspected (2-3 hours), then drive to the Airport Post Office  to drop off. It takes the same work with the same type item  if you can understand.

LIVE PLANTS  ARE PERISHABLE.

There is the risk when  you grow plants that they may die. LIVE PLANTS are  PERISHABLE, guaranteed not to live forever.

US orders ONLY are GUARANTEED LIVE ARRIVAL. All International orders  are shipped at the BUYER's RISK!

When you order a plant  we assume you are prepared to care for it. It is your  responsibility to know how to care for the plant. Do some  research before they arrive or seek experienced help.

 Small plants need  protection from many things, wind, sun, dry-out. They do  well just in the garage or living room. They need good light  but not sunlight (full sun will burn small plants). Small pots dry-out  easily. Just sitting in a shallow tray of water works well. The idea is to keep the  plants from dehydrating.

Be careful if you  decide to re-pot.  Re-potting voids any warranty. Plants are easily damaged  with new/different mix. Use NO fertilizers (this may kill  your plants). Proper care is critical upon arrival. Live Plants are NOT GUARANTEED  to survive under your care. DO NOT expect any live plant to  be GUARANTEED to remain alive. Plants are NOT GUARANTEED TO  SURVIVE after you begin Care! Live arrival is guaranteed,  eternal survival is up to you.

NO REPLACEMENT WILL BE  CONSIDERED IF YOU HAVE REPOTTED THE PLANT.

 IF YOU are NOT able  to provide PROPER CARE, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT plant to be  GUARANTEED after it perishes.

BROWN THUMB WARNING:

Please Do NOT  email me after a week after receiving and repotting your  plant, and make a claim it arrived damaged. All photo support must  be as arrived in original condition when received (in the  box and packed as delivered).

If you repot your  plant after delivery, all warranties are voided and no  replacement is offered. You should use good gardening skills  and repot if desired but at buyer's risk and expense.

If repotted, you are  responsible for the condition of the plant. NO REPLACEMENT or REFUND  WILL BE CONSIDERED IF YOU HAVE REPOTTED THE PLANT.

Not every plant that I  grow survives, and I am aware of that and accept the risk  when I order. This is the risk that you as the buyer accept,  because there is no way to know what kind of conditions it  will endure in the trip to your door. My responsibility ends  when a live plant is delivered to your door.

You are  agreeing to these terms when you make this purchase from  this listing.

 

eBay Return Policy

If you need to return  an item, be sure to follow these item condition guidelines.

For details on the  seller's return policy (including how long you have to  return an item, who pays for return shipping, and restocking  fees), check the Return policy section of this listing.

 From delivery  confirmation, you have only 48 hours from delivery  confirmation to make any  'Arrived Damaged'  claim. 

  All claims need  to be supported with Photos of the damaged plant(s)  as packed/unpacked, the box if damaged, the packing  materials and any documents.

You must return an item  in the same condition as it was received, not used or  altered in any way.

You must  also include, in the same condition as it was received:
All original  packaging such as boxes, bags, tags, and UPCs
Accessories such as cords and remote controls
Certificates, manuals, warranty, and rebate cards
"Free gifts" or bonus items
All items included in a bundle
Make sure you  follow these guidelines. If you don't, you may be subject to  a range of actions, including limits of your buying and  selling privileges and suspension of your account.

I am very reasonable  and understanding, anything can happen to small plants in  transit, for this reason uninsurable.

The expense to send it  to you is most of your payment. To send any replacements, I  try to piggy back with your next order.

Replacement is not an  option for CUSTOMS SEIZURE.

ALL OF MY ITEMS ARE  SHIPPED USDA CERTIFIED WITHIN THE U.S. - USDA and USPS fees  are included in the actual cost of shipping and Handling.

Please do not leave a 1  or 2 in my detailed seller ratings for postage fees or any  reason really because I will block you from any further  purchases.
 
Please  contact me before eBay if you have any issue. I am the one  who can help you. Do not open any case for any reason really  because I will block you from any further purchases.

I ship items the best  and least expensive option. These are coming from Hawaii.  The only thing inexpensive here in Hawaii are my items!! I  do ship all my items promptly via best method. If you feel  like the combined shipping fee is wrong, please wait to be  invoiced and check back with me! I value your business and  will work diligently to keep you satisfied. I am very  generous and reasonable with reasonable people, just ask.

my dog Taz will  fetch your email to me

If you are dissatisfied with the item for any  reason, please contact me before leaving a negative or  neutral comment.

I want you to be satisfied!

Mahalo iâ `oe no  ke kipa `ana mai. E kipa mai hou!

Rare Seeds

Fresh Highest Quality