Piquia
Caryocar villosum

Family: Caryocaraceae

What it is like

Caryocar villosum is an evergreen Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 35 m (114ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Found in both primary and secondary rainforests on land that is not subject to periodic inundation.

Northern S. America - Brazil to Guyana.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Asia, Bolivia, Brazil, Guiana, Malaysia, Peru, SE Asia, South America, Venezuela

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Seed - raw or cooked. Eaten as a dessert. The large, soft, white kernels have a delicious, rich, almond-like flavour. Rich in oil. An edible oil is obtained from the tissue surrounding the seed. Another edible oil is obtained from the seed. Fruit - raw or cooked. It has the faint smell of rancid butter. The fruit is more commonly cooked. The fleshy, aromatic, yellow pulp has a slightly sweet flavour. The seed case beneath the pulp has rigid spines - care should be taken when eating the fresh fruit that one does not harm themselves on these spines.

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 0

The leaves and bark are diaphoretic.

Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.

Other

Rating: 2

The heartwood is yellow to light brownish grey; it is clearly demarcated from the 15mm wide band of dirty white sapwood. The wood is cross-grained, with little if any taste or odour. It is rather hard, heavy, very tough, durable and very resistant to wood-eating organisms. The wood works well; takes nails fairly well; planes moderaely easily but very badly; turns moderately easily but indifferently; polishes indifferently. It is suitable for house and ship building, cabinet making, wheel arches and hubs, fence posts, railway sleepers etc.

Fencing: Plants that can be used for fencing.

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.

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

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

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

Staple Crop: Oil: (0-15 percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Some of these are consumed whole while others are exclusively pressed for oil. Annuals include canola, poppyseed, maize, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut. Perennials include high-oil fruits, seeds, and nuts, such as olive, coconut, avocado, oil palm, shea, pecan, and macadamia. Some perennial oil crops are consumed whole as fruits and nuts, while others are exclusively pressed for oil (and some are used fresh and for oil).

Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

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

Staple Crop: Oil: (0-15 percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Some of these are consumed whole while others are exclusively pressed for oil. Annuals include canola, poppyseed, maize, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut. Perennials include high-oil fruits, seeds, and nuts, such as olive, coconut, avocado, oil palm, shea, pecan, and macadamia. Some perennial oil crops are consumed whole as fruits and nuts, while others are exclusively pressed for oil (and some are used fresh and for oil).

Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

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 slow-growing tree.

Propagating it: Seed - takes 6 - 12 months to germinate. Alternatively, immerse the seeds in warm water for 48 hours, changing the water every 12 hours. Sow the seed in individual containers in a sunny or lightly shaded position. Pre-soaked seed can sprout within 30 - 50 days with a moderate germination rate. Grow young plants on in a sheltered position with some shelter from the sun. Seedlings can be planted out when 25 cm tall. Good results can be obtained from grafting and marcottage.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

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

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The seed case beneath the pulp has rigid spines - care should be taken when eating the fresh fruit that one does not harm themselves on these spines.

Its other names

Local names

Amendoa de aspinho, Arbre a beurre, Bats suari, Pekea, Pequia, Piquia, Almendro, Piqui, Petia

Synonyms

Caryocar butyrosum (Aubl.) Willd. Pekea butyrosa Aubl. Pekea villosa (Aubl.) Poir. Rhizobolus butyrosus (Aubl.) J.F.Gmel. Saouari villosa Aubl.