Sterculia aberrans — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Seeds

The seeds are eaten.

Known Hazards

The pods, particularly those of S. foetida, contain seeds reported to be edible, with a taste similar to cocoa. However, the oil contains cyclopropene fatty acids which could be carcinogenic or co-carcinogenic. Gum karaya is extracted from Sterculia species, and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in foods, as a laxative, and as a denture adhesive. In India, this is sourced from: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madras, Madhya Pradesh and Chhota Nagpur.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in secondary tropical forest. It grows on wet places along streams. It occurs below 400 m altitude.

Asia, Indochina, SE Asia, Vietnam*,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A tree. It grows 12-18 m high. The trunk is 18-30 cm across. The trunk is straight and branches high up. The fruit has 5 follicles. These are star shaped. They are 8-10 cm long by 4-6 cm across. The seed are black.