SafePlants

Crescentia: An Overview

The genus Crescentia comprises six species of flowering plants belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. This genus is native to regions spanning from southern North America through the Caribbean and Central America.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions that Crescentia alata produces large, hard fruits.

Scientific Classification and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Crescentia
• Family: Bignoniaceae
• Genus: Crescentia

Crescentia cujete: The Calabash Tree

• Crescentia cujete is commonly known as the Calabash Tree.
• It is native to Central and South America.
• It is the national tree of St.
• Synonyms: Crescentia acuminata, Crescentia angustifolia
• Common Names: Calabash Tree, Krabasi, Kalebas, Huingo
• The exact native range of Crescentia cujete is unknown because the species has been widely cultivated throughout the New World tropics since prehistoric times.

Morphological Characteristics

• The trees in this genus typically have a short trunk, crooked limbs, and often drooping branches.
• Flowers are described as purplish and blotched.
• Calabash is an evergreen tree reaching 20 to 30 feet in height with a broad, irregular crown composed of long, spreading branches clothed in 2- to.

Traditional Uses

• The Common Calabash Tree (Crescentia cujete) has been cultivated widely throughout the New World tropics since prehistoric times.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• The pulp in the large hard fruits of Crescentia alata is eaten by horses, which serve as surrogate Pleistocene dispersal agents for the seeds.

Further Information

• Philippine Herbal Medicine website features information on Cujete, Crescentia cujete, the Calabash tree.
• CatholicSaints.Info provides a profile of Saint Maria Crescentia Hss.