Akee
Blighia sapida

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A small evergreen tree up to 9-13-20 m tall. It spreads to 3 m across. The stem is erect and branching. It has a spreading, open-textured crown. The leaves are dark green with 6, 8 or 10 curved leaflets. The flowers are greenish white in branched flowers stalks, in the axils of leaves. They extend upwards. The fruit are in clusters. The fruit is about 9 cm long and red when ripe. The fruit has five segments. It is roughly pear shaped. The fruit opens naturally when ripe and usually has 3 black seeds inside. These are covered with yellowish flesh called an aril. The aril is edible. The pink tissue is toxic. Unripe fruit are toxic.

There are 4 Blighia species. It is a good source of beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Hypoglycin-A was isolated for the first time from the 'edible' aril of Blighia sapida (Ackee tree) and subsequently traced as the cause of an intoxication known as 'Jamaica vomiting sickness".

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to tropical West Africa. It suits the humid tropical lowlands. It grows up to 900 m above sea level. It needs 2,000 mm of rain per year. It does best in moist, well composted soils in a sheltered, sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It can grow in the subtropics and survive with temperatures near freezing. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea (country/location of origin), Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Mali, Martinique, Mexico, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South America, St Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad, Togo, USA, Venezuela, West Africa (country/location of origin), West Indies

How it is used for food

The fleshy white aril around the seeds is edible after the fruit opens naturally. It is often cooked by boiling in salt water. It looks like scrambled eggs after cooking. CAUTION The seeds are poisonous. The unripe aril is inedible. The pink tissue between the aril and seed is poisonous. The aril must be fully ripe before eating. It is light on the open jacket that destroys the poison. The flowers are used in the preparation of aromatic water. The young leaves are cooked and eaten.

In Papua New Guinea it is an introduced crop not widely grown and rarely used. The fruit is popular in Jamaica. It is part of their national dish. It is a commonly used food in West Africa.

Edible parts

Fruit, aril, flowers - flavour, caution, leaves

How it is grown

Trees can be grown by seeds or cuttings. They can also be grafted.

In warm climates it grows quickly. It often bears two crops per year. It starts to produce after 4 years. Trees can keep producing for 50 years. Fruit matures in about 90 days.

Its other names

Local names

Abai, Achee, Akee Apple, Aki, Akie, Akye, Akyen, Arbol de seso, Be, Bien me sabe, Castanha, Direbu, Finza, Finzan, Fisa, Huevo vegetal, Ishin, Ishin jije, Itchin, Kaka, Lissetin, Merey del diablo, Moufodoom, Okpu, Otousi, Palo de seso, Pan y quesito, Peeryu, Pera roja, Seso vegetal, Vegetable brain, Wara tiga

Synonyms

Cuprona edulis; Cupania sapida J. Voigt;