rambutan, also spelled Rambotan, Ramboetan, Ramboutan, or Rambustan, (Nephelium lappaceum), tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). It is native to Malaysia, where it is commonly cultivated for its tasty fruit, also called rambutan. The bright-red, oval fruit, about the size of a small hen’s egg, is covered with long, soft spines and has a tasty acid pulp. The tree grows to about 10.5–12 metres (35–40 feet).
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.