Common Name:

General Information

Inga macrophylla is an evergreen tree with a dense, rounded crown; it can grow 4 - 14 metres tall. The short bole is 20 - 35cm in diameter[].
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild for local use. A very popular fruit, it is widely cultivated in the Amazon region and commonly sold in local markets[, ].
Inga macrophylla is widespread in South America and is known to occur in secondary forest and on disturbed sites. The taxon is known to occur within a number of protected areas and not known to have experienced a significant decline in population. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad and Tobago.

Habitat

Fertile, moist, but well-drained sites in both primary and secondary rainforest formations in areas not subject to inundation[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist, humid tropics[].
Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[]. Grows best in a moist, fertile, well-drained soil[].
A fast-growing tree[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[[]. The seeds are covered in a dense, white aril that has a sweet flavour[, ]. The fruit is a legume 20 - 45cm long and up to 5cm wide, containing 8 - 15 large seeds[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species within its native range, it is fast-growing and a popular food crop so should make an excellent pioneer for re-establishing woodland[].

Other Uses

The wood is coarse-textured with an irregular to spiralled grain. It is light in weight, with low resistance to rot and difficult to cut[]. It is only used for low value items such as boxes and cheap toys[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it needs to be sown as soon as possible once it is ripe. Sow in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination rates are usually above 60%, with the seed sprouting within 10 - 20 days[].

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