Earpod tree, Mexican walnut tree, Pitchwood tree
Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A deciduous tree. It grows up to 30 m high. It has a large stocky trunk. It has small buttresses. The branches are heavy. The leaves are twice divided and feather like. They are deep green and there are 24 pairs of small leaflets and 50 larger leaflets. The flowers are small and greenish white. They occur in heads 1.5 cm across. The fruit is an ear shaped pod. It is 10 cm across and flat and coiled. It has several seeds.

There are 5 Enterolobium species. It is the emblem tree of Costa Rica. Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to tropical America. It grows in dry, lowland forest and savannah. It can tolerate drought. It has some salt tolerance. In Costa Rica it grows from sea level to 1,300 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Antilles, Asia, Australia, Belize, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Central America (country/location of origin), China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico (country/location of origin), Myanmar, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The seeds are sometimes toasted and eaten. They are also put in stews. The yellow layer of the young pods is eaten. The seed coat is removed and then the seeds are roasted and used like coffee. Caution: They contain saponins and can be poisonous.

Edible parts

Seeds, pods, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

It is a fast growing tree. It takes 5 years before fruiting.

Its other names

Local names

Chaya, Chayamansa, Conacaste, Corotu, Elephant's-ear, Guanacaste, Mulatto ear, Nacaste, Orejero, Parota, Pheoheo, Pohon sengon

Synonyms

Mimosa cyclocarpa Jacq.; Albizia longipes Britton & Killip; Feuilleea cyclocarpa (Jacq.) Kuntze; Inga cyclocarpa (Jacq.) Willd.; Mimosa parota Sesse & Mocino; Pithecellobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Martius; Prosopis dubia Kunth;