Anacardium occidentale ( Cashew Nut ) is a tropical edible tree that is native to South America and is responsible for growing one of the world’s favourite natural snacks. Full of vitamins and minerals, Cashew nuts add flavour and crunch to stir fry’s and curries and are easy to grow in warm climates. With dense branches and bright foliage, the tree itself will make a nice shady ornamental in any backyard.
Suitable for Tropical climates only but has been grown in temperate and sub-tropical regions with great care.
This species is native to south-eastern Venezuela and north-eastern Brazil and since the Portuguese discovered cashews during the 1500s has spread across the world. In modern times, the largest producer of raw cashews is the small but perfectly acclimatised African nation of the Ivory Coast and India.
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Growth
Anacardium occidentale is a tropical evergreen tree that grows to a maximum height of up to 14 metres (46 feet) and most commonly stretches up to 6 metres (20 feet). Native to a region of South America that is close to the equator, the Cashew Tree enjoys warm, stable temperatures all-year round. Leaves feel a little leathery, are elliptical and spirally arranged and can reach 20cm (8 inches) in length. They grow on thick, dense branches and stay an intense green year-round.
Flowers in their native habitat occur during a two-month dry spell (which the tree requires) and are light yellow or green and grow up to 15cm (6 inches) long. This dry spell period is critical in preparation for the subsequent rainy season which provides the nutrients for the tree to produce fruits.
The curved fruit is shaped like a large thick bean and can reach 2.5cm (1 inch) long. It appears like one end has been forcibly sunk into a pear-shaped swollen stem of what is called the Cashew Apple. The Cashew Apple is an accessory fruit, is about three times as large as the true fruit and is reddish, yellow.
Inner shells of the true fruit are hard and must be cracked like the shells of traditional nuts to obtain the edible kernel. During harvesting, a brown oily resin can be found inside the shells and can blister human skin.
Cashew Nut trees can sometimes reach fruiting stage within three years, but it often takes five years. Once they begin fruiting, they will generally continue to fruit for around thirty years.
Note: Germination instructions can be found in the ‘Germination Instructions Tab’ below. Upon purchase you will receive these detailed instructions via email so that you have a permanent record.
FAMILY:
Anceae
CLIMATE:
Tropical.
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
10°C to 35°C / 50 to 95°F.
SOIL TYPE:
Well-draining.
LOCATION:
Full Sun – Part Shade
HEIGHT:
Up to 14 metres (46 feet).
WIDTH:
Commonly up to 6 metres (20 feet) but the world’s largest Cashew tree is much wider than that. See below.
pH:
5.5-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Evergreen
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Medium
POLLINATION:
Pollinated by Bees, Ants and Butterflies.
MATURITY:
3-7 years
GERMINATION RATES:
70-80%
GERMINATION TIME:
Soak for 24 hours and then anywhere from 5 days to 3 weeks.
GERMINATION DIFFICULTY:
Medium-Hard depending on climatic conditions.
SEEDS PER KILOGRAM:
Approximately 180.
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
Yes
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 3 years.
FACTS ABOUT ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE (Cashew Nut)
The world’s largest Cashew Tree is located in Natal, Brazil and is called the Cajueiro de Pirangi (Cashew of Pirangi). It has grown to the extraordinary size of 7,300 metres (1.8 acres) by 8,400 metres (2.1 acres) and produces around 60,000 cashew fruits every year.
Raw cashews are high in protein (18%) and contain rich sources of copper, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, iron, and magnesium as well as Vitamin K.
