Prunus occidentalis

Sw.

West Indian laurelcherry, Almendron

RosaceaeFruitSeeds/Nuts

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Kernels - flavouring, Fruit, Seeds

The kernels are used to flavour liqueur. The fruit and seeds are also edible.

It is a tropical plant.

Central America*, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama, Puerto Rico, South America, St Vincent, Venezuela, West Indies,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Suriname, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, St Vincent, Venezuela

A tropical tree in the Rosaceae family native to the West Indies, bearing fruit with edible kernels and seeds.

Source ↗

Prunus occidentalis is a plant in the family Rosaceae of the order Rosales.

There are about 200 Prunus species.

Names & Synonyms

Almendrillo, Almendrito, Almendro, Cuajani, Cucuracha, Elmenacrilo, Juba, Membrillo, Yaya boba

Cerasus occidentalis (Sw.) LoiselLaurocerasus occidentalis (Sw.) M. Roem.

References (5)

Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 541
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 714
Plants of Haiti Smithsonian Institute http://botany.si.edu/antilles/West Indies
Prodr. 80. 1788
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew