Tropical Plant "Ice cream bean"
Ice cream bean

Characteristics - The ice cream bean is occasionally cultivated in the northern region, and frequent in nature in its native habitat, the riverine flood plains throughout the Amazon region. It is an evergreen tree, 10-15 m tall. Leaves are pinnately compound with three pairs of glabrous, papyraceous leaflets, whose size varies between 10-27 cm and 4-10 cm, the larger ones at the extremity of the foliar rachis. Inflorescences flobose capitate, with white, very fragrant, androgynous flowers, form from August to October. The fruits ripen from March to May. They are sub-cillindrical beanpods, indehiscent and glabrous, up to 30 cm, with 8-15 large seeds wrapped in dense, floccose aril, that has a very sweet flavor and which is easily released.

Uses - The aril of the fruit is consumed only in its natural state and is greatly appreciated locally.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.