Common Name: Caja Acu

General Information

Anacardium giganteum is a large evergreen tree with a large, spreading crown; it can grow 20 - 40 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 50 - 90cm in diameter[, ].
The edible fruits and seeds are gathered from the wild for local use, and the plant is also sometimes cultivated as a food crop[, ]. It is sold in local markets[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Brazil, Guiana.

Habitat

A canopy tree in forests of the mid and lower Amazon regions, growing both on the flood plains and in areas not subject to inundation[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the hot, humid, tropical lowlands[].
Succeeds in the dappled shade of a woodland and also, especially when larger, in open sunny positions[]. Plants can tolerate occasional inundation of the soil[].
Plants have a moderate growth rate, reaching about 2 metres tall when they are two years old[].

Edible Uses

The fruit is very juicy and ranges in flavour from sweet to acid[, ]. A very pleasant, sub-acid flavour, reminiscent of strawberries[, ]. A bittersweet flavour, much esteemed locally[]. It is eaten fresh or made into a juice[]. It is refreshing, but can be rather astringent[]. The fruit is about 2cm long[].

The seed is edible, but small[, ]. Rich in protein and oil[]. It needs to be roasted[]. The roasted seed has a flavour similar to cashew nuts (Anacardium occidentale)[, ].

Medicinal

The bark and leaf, boiled with the bark or fruit of the guava (Psidium guajava), is drunk in the treatment of coughs and dysentery[].

The bark and fruit are used in the treatment of diarrhoea, cancerous ulcers, and syphilis[].

A decoction of the bark is used to treat venereal diseases, iron deficiency, vomiting and sore throat. The bark is scraped, boiled, and the liquid drunk as an anti-diarrhoeal[].

The fruit is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

The wood is light in weight, smooth to cut, with a low resistance to wood-eating insects. The heartwood and sapwood are not differentiated[]. It is used to make low value items such as wood laminas, fillings for furniture, light boxes etc[].

Propagation

Seed - it contains water-soluble germination inhibitors, which can be removed by soaking the seeds in cold water for 48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours[]. Sow the seeds in individual containers in a semi-shaded position - the germination rate of treated seed is usually high, with the seed sprouting within 15 - 25 days[]. Grow the seedlings on in a semi-shaded position until they are more than 30cm tall, by which time they can be planted in fairly open positions[].

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