Ice Cream Bean, Monkey Tamarind
Inga edulis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Inga edulis or commonly known as Ice Cream Bean is a fast-growing fruit tree native to South America. It grows up to 30 m tall and 60 cm in trunk diameter. It is an evergreen and forms a broad, spreading canopy. The leaves are compound with 4-6 pairs of leaflets. The flowers re near the ends of branches. It is popular in South America for its edible fruits. The long pod fruits have sweet flavor, white, translucent, jelly-like pulp. Leaf decoctions are used against cough and lip sores. The plant is also planted as shade tree in coffee and cacao plantations. The wood is moderately hard, not very heavy, very durable, and used for making packing cases and piles, and for fuel.

Inga edulis is an evergreen Tree growing to 18 m (59ft) by 18 m (59ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 18

Where it is found

Forests on the riverine flood plains. Moist, wet, or sometimes rather dry forest, or in open places at elevations below 1,500 metres. Thickets and wooded swamps at elevations of 110 - 540 metres in Peru.

Northern and western S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Colombia; Ecuador; French Guiana; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; Guyana; Brazil, Africa, Amazon, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galapagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Panama, Peru, Sao Tome & Principe, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Tanzania, Venezuela, West Africa,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

The pulp surrounding the seeds in the seedpod is white, translucent and jelly-like with a sweet, perfumed flavour. Much esteemed in Ecuador, some forms have a slight cinnamon flavour. The seedpod is up to 100cm long. The seedpod can vary considerably in size and in the quantity of pulp it contains. The best forms are found in S. America.

Seedpod: things such as Okra, French and Runner beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

A decoction of the crushed leaves is taken to relieve coughing. A decoction of the leaves is applied to sores of the lips (perhaps herpes).

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating: 3

Agroforestry Uses: Commonly planted as a shade tree in coffee and cacao plantations, since it is fast-growing, fixes atmospheric nitrogen, has a well spreading crown and produces large quantities of leaves which cover the ground and add considerable quantities of organic matter to the soil. In trial experiments on cultivated slopes, a mulch from this tree reduced soil erosion to levels almost equal to those in secondary forests. The leaf litter is high in nitrogen, lignins and polyphenols. It is slow to decompose, but provides a long-term build up of organic nitrogen and effective weed control. Weed biomass decreased considerably in all agroforestry trials with this species, much more than with other leguminous species. Existing trials are too new to ascertain whether the species can maintain or improve soil fertility on acid sites in the long term, but results so far are promising. Other Uses: The heartwood is light brown with dark stripes; the sapwood is pale yellow or almost white. The texture is coarse; the grain straight to interlocked; lustre is medium; there is no distinctive taste or aroma. The wood is not very heavy; hard to moderately hard. It is said to be very durable, even in water, though another report says it has low durability and is susceptible to blue stain. It is easy to cut, saws slightly woolly and is liable to split in drying. It is used for making packing cases, and especially for making piles. The wood is used for fuel. A popular source of firewood, the wood has a high calorific value and burns with little smoke.

Containers: Plants, such as gourds, that can be used as containers. Does not include baskets or containers made from wood.

Fencing: Plants that can be used for fencing.

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

Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.

Soil conditioner: Plants grown to improve the structure of the soil. See also Green manures.

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

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

Agroforestry Services: Alley crop: Integrates annual crops with rows of perennials.

Agroforestry Services: Crop shade: Plants providing crop shade especially trees.

Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

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.

Agroforestry Services: Alley crop: Integrates annual crops with rows of perennials.

Agroforestry Services: Crop shade: Plants providing crop shade especially trees.

Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

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.

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

Coppice: A traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down.

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

Hedge: Hedge

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

A plant of the hot, humid, lowland tropics, where it can also be found at elevations up to 2,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 30°c, but can tolerate 18 - 35°c. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of -2°c or lower, whilst new growth is damaged at 0°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 640 - 4,000mm. Prefers a sunny position, but also succeeds in dappled shade. Tolerant of a range of soil conditions, including limestone. It can succeed on floodplains that are waterlogged for 2 - 3 months each year, and is also remarkably resistant to drought, occurring in regions with a 6-month dry season. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 8. The tree can grow rapidly, even on the poorest nutrient-depleted soils. Seedling trees can commence fruiting when only two years old. Trees can flower and fruit all year round. The tree responds well to coppicing. A highly variable species, forms with the best quality seedpods are seldom found in Central America, where it is quite likely that all the trees are relics of former cultivation. 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. Flowering Time: Blooms repeatedly. Bloom Color: White/Near White.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sow in a lightly shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A high rate of germination can be expected, with the seeds sprouting within a few days. Transplant the seedlings to individual containers when they have 4 - 6 leaves and they should be ready for planting out 4 - 5 months later. Greenwood cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 9-12

Growth: Fast

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

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist, wet

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Ice-cream-bean, pois doux - French, inga-cipó - Portuguese, chalaite - Spanish, cuajiniquil - Spanish, guaba - Spanish, pacay - Spanish. Bribri, Copocoqui, Food Inga, Geli-weko, Guaba, Guama, Guamo, Guavo-bejuco, Huaba, Inga macarrao, Inga-Cipo, Inga-de-macaco, Inga-rabo-de-mico, Krepu uhi, Machete, Pacay, Tite-weko, Warako-sa, guava, wampaa.

Synonyms

Feuilleea conferta (Benth.) Kuntze Feuilleea edulis (Mart.) Kuntze Feuilleea scabriuscula (Benth.) K