The hummingbird tree grows up to 20 feet tall and has light gray bark with a cork-like texture that is deeply furrowed. It has white wood classified as a softwood.
Hummingbird tree leaves are green, pinnate (having smaller leaves growing of a main leaf stalk) and grow 6 to 12 inches long.
The tree's flowers grow 2.5 to 4 inches long and have white, pink or red petals. The tree produces fruit in the form of 12-inch-long pods.
Parts of the hummingbird tree that are used include: the gum, to strengthen cord; wood, for things such as firewood, paper, building and pulp; and the inner bark, for cork. The flowers, bark, gum, leaves and pods are used in folk medicine, and the pods and flowers are eaten in southeastern Asian cuisine.
The tree is native to tropical Asian countries such as the Phillipines, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. It has been naturalized to other parts of the world, including Hawaii and Florida.
The humming tree goes by several other names, including West Indian tree, agati, vegetable hummingbird and corkwood tree.