ArborNote’s Tree of the Week was chosen by one of our developers, Abduallah! He chose the Indian Sherbet Berry (Grewia asiatica) also known as phalsa. It is native to southern Asia from Pakistan east to Cambodia. It is a smaller tree that blooms with little yellow flowers at the beginning of April before bearing the fruit that is known as phalsa in late May. It’s a small, round berry with a sweet-sour taste and is a hot commodity in the markets during its peak season and is gone by early July. Phalsa fruit is bestowed with a treasure trove of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins A, B3 and C and minerals like potassium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. People often juice the fruit due to its cooling properties, it is even traditionally used to manage heat-related conditions, including heatstroke and dehydration. The root is used by Santhal tribals to treat joint related diseases, such as arthritis. The stem bark is said to be used in refining sugar, as well as for making ropes and baskets. It has become naturalised and it is now considered to be locally invasive in Australia and the Philippines.