Pachira glabra
Pasq.
Saba nut, Glabrous pachira
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Nuts, Vegetable, Leaves
The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked — boiled or roasted like chestnuts, they are rich in oil and similar to groundnuts in flavour. This plant is also known as the Pachira nut. The young leaves are also said to be eaten.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It is native to Central America. It grows on alluvial plains and lowland rainforests. It suits humid locations. In Townsville BG.
Africa, Amazon, Angola, Australia, Brazil*, Central Africa, Central America, Congo DR, Guianas, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Puerto Rico, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South America, St Lucia, West Africa, West Indies,
How to Identify
A small tree. It grows 17 m high. The trunk is bright green. The leaves have 5-7 leaflets. The leaves have long leaf stalks. The flowers come out at night. They have light green strap-like petals. The stamen are white and curved. The fruit is a green capsule 12.5 cm long. It contains many large seed. It is like a cocoa pod. There are 10-24 seeds.
Nutrition Score: 29/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds | 66 | — | — | 34.1 | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. Cuttings or air-layering can also be used. The seeds are harvested from the fruit once they are open. Seeds are sown when fresh. They germinate in 5-10 days. The rate of germination is high. Seedlings can be transplanted into the field in 4 months.
Propagation: Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in individual containers. Germination rates of virtually 100% can be expected, with seeds sprouting within 5–10 days. Seedlings develop quickly and should be ready to plant out 3–4 months later. Cuttings root easily. Layering is also possible.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
The plant is easily propagated from cuttings and is widely used as a hedge in coastal regions of Brazil. It is sometimes grown to provide shade in cocoa plantations. The wood is very light, soft, with loose tissue and low natural durability; it is occasionally used to make light objects such as boxes, rulers, and toys.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Pachira glabra (syn. Bombacopsis glabra) is a tropical wetland tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae, native to eastern Brazil, where it grows along waterways. It is generally known by the nonscientific names Guinea peanut, French peanut, Saba nut, money tree, and lucky tree. It shares many of these common names with the similar P. aquatica.
Production
Plants grow quickly. They can be 3.5 m tall in 2 years.
Notes
Also put in the family Bombacaceae. In the subfamily Bombacoideae.
Names & Synonyms
Amendoim-de-arvore, American chestnut, Cacau-do-maranhao, Cacau-selvagem, Castanha-da-praia, Castanha-do-maranhao, Castano de Guinea, Kalanga ya wazungu, Mamorana, Nguba nquela, Nguba mputu, “Pachira nut"
References (24)
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