Their scent is most notable at night indicating that they are adapted to pollination by bats, which visit them for pollen and nectar.

The fruit are eaten by several species of mammals, including baboons, bushpigs, savannah elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, monkeys, and porcupines.

[2] The hard shell (skin) of the fruit can be hollowed out, cleaned, and made into useful, durable containers of varying sizes.

Early use of the wood for wedge-shaped tools was discovered at Kalambo Falls, Zambia, dating to between 390,000 and 324,000 years ago.

The dried fruits are then inserted into a fermentation vessel with older, in-use muratina (plural) to activate and inoculate the new ones with yeast.

The more the cultures are used, the more potent they become in converting sugars from sugarcane juice and honey to carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Planting sites should be selected carefully, as the falling fruit can cause serious injury to people and damage vehicles parked under the trees.