Almondette, Charoli Nut
Buchanania lanzan

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

Buchanania lanzan or Almondette is an evergreen tree that grows around 18 m tall and is found in East Asia. The fruit is eaten fresh or dried for later consumption. Almondette has an almond-flavoured seeds known as 'charoli' that is used mainly in India as a cooking spice and dessert. The seed produces oil with a sweet flavour and pleasant scent thus it can be used as substitute for almond or olive oil. Moreover, it is used in Ayurveda and Unani medicine. Gum obtained from the tree is used as treatment for leprosy. The roots, on the other hand, are used against diarrhoea, the leaves against skin ailments, and the fruits against coughs and asthma. The wood of Almondette is of poor quality hence usage is limited as firewood and for charcoal-making. Seeds are known as charoli or chironji. Buchanania lanzan Spreng. is a synonym of Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida

Buchanania lanzan is an evergreen Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 12

Where it is found

In open and dry forests on poor soils. Lowland forests in southern China at elevations of 100 - 900 metres.

E. Asia - southern China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pacific, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Seed - raw or cooked. An excellent flavour, somewhat reminiscent of almonds or pistachios. Eaten as a dessert seed and also used in sweetmeats. In some parts of India the dried fruit and seed are baked together to make a sort of bread. They are ground into powders for thickening savory sauces and flavoring batters, and stewed into rich, meaty kormas. The seed contains about 50% oil. The seed is fairly small, about 7mm long. After the hard shell is cracked, the stubby seed within is as soft as a pine nut. The fruit hangs on the tree for quite a long while after it has ripened. Fruit - a pleasant, sweetish, subacid flavour. Eaten fresh, or dried for later use. The fruit is 15mm long. An oil is obtained from the seed. Light yellow with a sweet flavour and pleasant aroma, it can be used as a substitute for almond or olive oil. Carbon Farming - Staple Crop: protein-oil.

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The gum from the tree is used against leprosy in traditional medicine. Charoli seeds are used in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine. The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and constipating. They are useful in the treatment of diarrhoea. The leaves are used in the treatment of skin diseases. The fruits are used in treating coughs and asthma.

Acrid: Causes heat and irritation when applied to the skin.

Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.

Leprosy: Used to treat leprosy - a chronic bacterial infection of the skin and superficial nerves (in the skin) caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating: 3

Other uses rating: Medium (3/5). Agroforestry Uses: A good species for afforesting bare hill slopes. Other Uses The bark is used in tanning. The tree yields a gum copiously in large, irregular pieces. It is only partially soluble in water (about 10% insoluble), but it gives a good mucilage and can be useful in cheap manufacturing processes. The gum has adhesive properties. An oil is obtained from the seed. The greyish-brown wood has a small, dark-coloured heartwood. It is moderately hard. Of poor quality, it is only used as firewood and for making charcoal

Charcoal: Used for fuel, drawing, deodorant, filter, fertilizer etc.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.

Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of mainly drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 32 - 42°c, but can tolerate 5 - 48°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 750 - 2,200mm. Grows well in full sun but can also tolerate considerable shade, especially when small. Succeeds in most soils, including dry soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 4.9 - 7.2. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: regional crop only. Management: standard.

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Buchanania lanzan, Charoli Nut or Almondette. Seeds are known as charoli or chironji. Achar, Almondette, Calumpang nut tree, Chara, Charee, Charkoli, Charoli, Cheronjee, Chirauli-nut, Chirauli, Chironji, Chivoli, Cuddapah almond, Erpe, Hak phuu, Kalompang, Lambo, Lone-hpo, Ma ca, Mamuang maeng wan, Men van, Morala, Munga pera, Nurkal, Pival, Piyar, Pyar, Rak muu, Tapasya-priya.

Synonyms

Note:Buchanania lanzan Spreng. is a synonym of Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida. Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida Buchanania latifolia Roxb.