Sterculia foetida is a soft wooded tree that can grow up to 115 feet tall. It was described in 1753 by Carolus Linnaeus. Common names for the plant are the bastard poon tree, java olive tree, hazel sterculia, and wild almond tree. The origin of the name of the bad-smelling Sterculia genus comes from the Roman god, Sterquilinus, who was the god of fertilizer or manure.