Velam or vilam, kaith in Hindi and kapittha in Sanskrit, is wood apple, a thorny tree of the citrus family whose round fruit has a hard, grey, woody shell around sticky brown pulp. The pulp is eaten with jaggery, made into chutney and sherbet, and offered to Ganesha at Ganesh Chaturthi. It is not bael, Aegle marmelos, another hard-shelled citrus relative with three-parted leaves.
- Botanical name
- Limonia acidissima L.
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Tamil
- Velam
- Hindi
- Kaith
- Sanskrit
- Kapittha
- Parts used
- Fruit
- Habit
- Thorny dry-forest tree with a hard-shelled sour fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Velam
It is a slow-growing deciduous tree with rough bark and straight, sharp spines.
The leaves are pinnate, with five to seven small, dark, glossy leaflets that smell of citrus when crushed.
Small, dull red to greenish flowers grow in loose clusters.
The fruit is round, five to eight centimetres across, with a hard, grey-white, woody shell.
Inside is aromatic, sticky, brown pulp with many small seeds.
Traditional use of Velam
Kitchen
The pulp is mixed with jaggery and eaten, or made into chutney and sherbet.
Indian food practice
Ritual
Wood apple is offered to Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi.
Hindu ritual practice
Kitchen
In Sri Lanka the pulp is blended with coconut milk and sugar into a drink.
Sri Lankan food practice
Modern notes on Velam
The pulp is rich in pectin and supplies vitamin C and fibre.
The shell is so hard it must be cracked with a hammer or by dropping.
Studies on its extracts are mostly laboratory work.
Velam safety
Eat only ripe fruit; it should sound hollow when tapped and smell strongly. Unripe pulp is very sour and astringent.
Ecology and sourcing
It grows in dry forests of India, Sri Lanka and South-east Asia.
Elephants and monkeys crack and eat the fruit.
It is very drought-tolerant.
Related plants
Also in Rutaceae
Questions about Velam
Is wood apple the same as bael?
No. Bael is Aegle marmelos.
How do I open Velam?
Crack the hard shell with a hammer.
How is Velam eaten?
The pulp with jaggery, or in chutney and sherbet.
Is Velam a citrus?
It belongs to the citrus family, Rutaceae.
Why is Velam offered to Ganesha?
It is a traditional offering at Ganesh Chaturthi.
Sources
- Limonia acidissima L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q935616 (Limonia acidissima)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.