Beheth Nelli

The fruit is smooth and hard, with six vertical stripes or furrows. It’s typically sour, bitter, and astringent, and can be eaten fresh or dried. 

The tree can grow up to 30 meters tall, with a crooked, gnarled stem that can be up to 35 centimeters in diameter. The bark is thin, smooth, and greenish gray, and peels off in thin flakes. The leaves are light green and resemble pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish-yellow. 

Nelli is rich in vitamin C, fiber, carotene, calcium, phosphorous, chromium, iron, antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. 

Nelli is an important part of indigenous medicine, and all parts of the tree are used in medicine. Pharmacological studies have shown that the fruit extracts have antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antitumor, antigenotoxic, and anti-inflammatory activities. 

Nelli is a popular backyard fruit tree that’s easy to cultivate. In Sri Lanka, the peak fruiting season is from December to March.