Nurture: Twin-Apple (Ochrosia oppositifolia)
As one of the more underrepresented species of the atoll, the Ochrosia is a relative of the plumeria that produces small, white flowers before the fruit appears in pairs. This gives them their common name of the ‘twin apple’ as they form an oblong yellow-orange fruit that is a favorite among the crabs once they ripen and fall to the ground. One of the more successful producing trees are outside the dry laboratory on the west side of camp on Cooper Island.
This tree, as with many other species, is being nurtured at Palmyra Atoll.