Mu Oil Tree

Description

Vernicia montana, the mu oil tree, is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), southern China, and Taiwan. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height 20 metres (66 ft). The leaves are large with three lobes. The monoecious white-petaled flowers emerged as inflorescences, containing both male and female flowers. The 2-3 inches (5.1-7.6 cm) fruit is a globular drupe with wrinkled skin that turns from green to yellow upon ripening. Each fruit contains 3 seeds, rich in oil.