Ehretia acuminata, a tree with fragrant flowers

If you're walking between India and Australia, you'll probably come across an Ehretia acuminata. But this tree of the Boraginaceae family can also flourish and bloom in our latitudes.

Ehretia acuminata is a deciduous tree with a rounded habit. Some claim to have encountered specimens up to 30 meters tall. However, it usually grows to between ten and fifteen meters.

The trunk is covered with gray bark. Deep vertical furrows run through the bark.

A one- to three-centimeter-long petiole supports the simple, alternate leaves. The elliptical, oblong or oval leaf blades measure up to thirteen centimetres long and four to six centimetres wide. The green leaves have serrated margins and pronounced veins.

From June onwards, the tree is adorned with fragrant white flowers. They bloom in cymes at the tips of the branches. Highly melliferous, they attract insects and pollinators.

The inflorescence then produces orange fruits. The drupes divide into two parts, each containing two seeds. Although not very tasty, the fruits are edible.

Unlike ehretia microphylla, Ehretia acuminata is not thought to have medicinal properties. But the tree is not toxic. It presents no danger to humans or animals.