Atamba - Endemic Tree of Sri Lanka
Scientific Name: Mangifera zeylanica
Family: Anacardiaceae
Origin: Endemic to Sri Lanka
Appearance and Characteristics
Family: Anacardiaceae
Origin: Endemic to Sri Lanka
Appearance and Characteristics
- Atamba is a large, tall-growing tree with a strong trunk. Some trees can reach 30 meters or more in height.
- Growing from sea level to elevations of approximately 1,000 meters, Atamba contributes significantly to the forest canopy in the lowland wet and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka.
- The fruits are much smaller than those of the common mango. When ripe, they turn yellow or a deep red/orange color.
- Atamba fruits have relatively little flesh and contain a large seed. Their flavor differs from that of common mangoes, with a strong combination of sourness and sweetness. The fruit is also highly fibrous.
- Rural communities enjoy cooking young Atamba fruits as a curry, known as “Atamba Maluwa,” and eating the ripe fruits as a dessert.
- In traditional Sri Lankan Ayurvedic medicine, the bark and leaves of the Atamba tree are used to treat various ailments, particularly skin conditions and digestive disorders such as diarrhea.
- Atamba plays an important role in forests as a major food source for wildlife, particularly monkeys, langurs, giant squirrels, and various species of birds.
