Monkey's Comb, Apeiba aspera, is easily grown from seed offered by the GreenDealer Exotic Seeds selection of Tropical Rainforest Plants, Trees, and Tropical Houseplants.

Monkey's Comb, Apeiba aspera, is a magnificent plant with awesome foliage. The heavily scented flowers are bright yellow. They are followed by the curious sea-urchin like fruits 2 inches (5cm) in diameter, which are chocolate brown and covered with short, soft spines ­ the subject of folk tales, that these spiny fruit pods are used as combs, or brushes by the monkeys .

This small tree is winter hardy in the tropical zones of 10 - 11, but is easily grown in containers indoors in northern climate zones if offered adequate light and warmth.

The specimen shown above was photographed in north-central Costa Rica, in June of 1999.