Chinese white olive
Canarium album

Family: Burseraceae

What it is like

A large tree. It grows 25-30 m high. The trunk is straight and branches high up. The trunk can be 1.5 m across. The bark is white and has cracks along it. The crown of the tree is small and rounded. The leaves have about 8 pairs of leaflets with a leaflet at the end. The leaflets are 6-15 cm long by 2.5-6 cm wide. They have shiny white scales underneath. The base of the leaflets is unequal. The flower clusters have branches without a flower at the end. They flowers are small and 0.2-0.3 cm long and yellowish white. The fruit is oval and 3.4-4 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide. They are yellowish green when mature. Young seedling trees have leaves which vary a lot in shape. Young leaves are simple with deep lobes. The flowers are white or yellow and in clusters around a stalk produced in the axils of leaves. The fruit is angled and has 3 cells. They are 3-4 cm long and 1.2-2 cm wide. They are dull yellow when ripe.

There are 80-95 Canarium species.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical and tropical plant. It grows in forest in north Vietnam below 500 m altitude. It needs light to grow. In Yunnan, China it grows between 600-1300 m altitude. It grows in deep humid and fertile soil. It can grow under light shade. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten like olives. The fruit are soaked in tubs of salt water, then dried. They are also preserved as a condiment. They are also used for wines and drinks. The seed contains an edible oil. The oil should not be too hot as seeds burn easily. The seed kernels are eaten. The fruit are edible when mature. They are also pickled.

It is a cultivated crop. Fruit are sold in markets. It is a priority under-utilised crop for China.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds - oil, seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds.

Trees are fast growing. They flower in January and February and fruit in June and July. In southern China fruit are available in June to August.

Its other names

Local names

Ca-na, Cay ca-na, Chinese olive, Ch'ing-kuo, Ganlan, Larm yin, Maizhahang, Mane, Olive nut, Paak-laam, Samo cheen, Talatt, Tonkin canarium, Tram chim, Tram trang, Wu Lam, Xica, Ximo

Synonyms

Canarium album Leenh.; Canarium tonkinense Engl.; Hearnia balansae C. DC.; Pimela alba Lour.;