Canarium album aka Chinese White Olive

Canarium album is an evergreen tree in the Burseraceae family. Its common names include Chinese olive and Chinese white olive. It comes from southern China and nearby parts of Asia. Its range includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Taiwan. It grows in forests on slopes and in valleys. These sites include both old forests and regrown woodland.

This fast-growing tree keeps its leaves throughout the year. PFAF gives a height of about 49 feet [15 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants reports a broader range of 23–82 feet [7–25 metres]. Some trees reach 115 feet [35 metres], beyond the smaller PFAF figure. The trunk grows straight and has a round cross-section. It can reach about 2.6 feet [0.8 metres] across. Rare trunks reach nearly 5 feet [1.5 metres] across. People grow the tree for both fruit and ornamental use.

Flowers appear from April to May, according to PFAF. Fruit ripens from October through December. People eat the fruit fresh or cook it. The crisp flesh starts bitter, then tastes sour and sweet. Cooks use it in stir-fries, drinks, and preserved foods. People also prepare it in ways similar to olives. Growers raise the tree in tropical Asia for its crop. Wild trees also supply fruit for sale in local markets.

This tree needs warmth and does not tolerate freezing temperatures. PFAF lists it for USDA zones 10–13. It reports a mean yearly temperature need of 68–72°F [20–22°C]. It also gives annual rainfall of about 47–55 inches. The tree grows in full sun or light shade. It prefers moist soil and accepts sand, loam, or clay. Suitable soil can range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. PFAF places it at the sunny edge of woodland gardens. Seed is a recorded way to raise new plants.

In China, people plant it along roads and in gardens. The tree also supplies wood and resin. Its fruit has a place in traditional Chinese medicine. Recorded uses include sore throats, thirst, and poor appetite. These traditional uses do not establish safe or effective treatment. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants list no known hazards. That statement does not confirm safety for pets or every use. The supplied sources give no specific pest or disease details.