Native plant of Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo. Introduced to Peradeniya botanical garden as an ornamental
tree in late nineteenth century. It becomes an invasive plant in stream banks,
forest edges, wastelands, roadsides and neglected plantations of wet lowlands. A
bright yellow flower of this species is the key to distinguish it from other
three indigenous varieties of Dillenia (with white flowers) grows in Sri Lanka.
