Sterculia is a genus colloquially termed the tropical chestnuts. The scientific name is taken from Sterculius of Roman mythology, who was the god of manure; this is in reference to the unpleasant aroma of the flowers of this genus (e.g., Sterculia foetida). Sterculia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the leaf-miner Bucculatrix xenaula, which feeds exclusively on the genus.

Sterculia alata commonly known as Buddha Coconut is a large deciduous tree with an attractive buttressed trunk. It is naturally found in disturbed, evergreen forests from India to Burma and Malaysia. Red flowers grow into huge, very pretty, five-sectioned seed pods with red interiors, which can reach 12 cm in diameter and open along one side to release up to 40 very large, shiny, black edible seeds.