Garcinia sessilis｜National Flower of Tonga

Garcinia sessilis

National Flower of Tonga

Flower name
Garcinia sessilis｜National Flower of Tonga
Scientific name
Garcinia sessilis
Aliaskwazibag, Heilala
Place of originTaiwan and Philippines
Place of floweringSubtropical region
Flowering seasonMarch, November

What is Garcinia sessilis｜National Flower of Tonga

Garcinia sessilisGarcinia sessilis (scientific name: Garcinia sessilis) is an evergreen tree in the Hypericum family and is native to the Pacific region of Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. It is white with yellowish tints and turns red when ripe. It is native to both wet and dry forests.
In Tonga, it is called heirara. The trees are 4-20 m tall, 30 cm wide, and dioecious. The flowers are pale yellow, pink, and red, and bloom throughout the year. The flowers are fragrant. The fruits are yellowish-white in color at first, but turn red when ripe. The fruit has a strong sour taste similar to that of citrus fruits.
The fruit is eaten raw, the leaves are used in eye washes, the bark is used for medicinal purposes, the wood is used for houses, carvings, and fuel, it is an ornamental plant, the flowers are used to flavor coconut oil and as a lei, and the tree is a symbol of royalty. The bark and dried fruit powder are used in diets, but excessive consumption of garcinia extract has been linked to adverse effects on the testes in animal studies.
The red hei lala is considered the national flower of Tonga. The flower is the design of the Tongan 5 Ceniti ($0.01) coin.

Common name: Garcinia sessilis, scientific name: Garcinia sessilis, subname: Heilala (Heilala, Tongan), taxonomic name: Plantae: Angiospermae, Eupatorium, Dicotyledonaceae, Hypericaceae, origin: Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Pacific region of Tonga, height: 4 to 20 Flower color: pale yellow, pink, red, flowering season: year-round, Aroma: flowers have a faint fragrance, Fruit color: yellowish white to red, Fruit shape: ovoid to oval, Fruit color: red, Fruit length: 4 cm, Fruit season: year-round, Uses: fruit eaten fresh, fruit peel and dried fruit used for spices, leaves used as an eye wash, bark for medicinal purposes. Bark is used for medicinal purposes; wood is used for houses, carvings, and fuel; ornamental plant; flowers are used to flavor coconut oil and for leis; tree is a symbol of royalty.