Ice cream bean
Inga spectabilis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 5-20 m tall. The branches are angular and hairy. The leaves are compound and alternate. There are 2 pairs of leaflets. The end pair are the largest. The leaves are 10-30 cm long by 5-18 cm wide. The fruit is a pod. They are 20-80 cm long by 4-5 cm wide and 2-3 cm thick. It is constricted between the seeds. The pod has black seeds. The pulp is white.

There are 350 Inga species. Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical America. In Panama it grows up to 1,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Galapagos, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The pulp of the pod is eaten raw.

It is sold in local markets. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit - aril, pod pulp

How it is grown

Plants grow easily from fresh seeds. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks given moisture and shade.

Its other names

Local names

A'cho fino, Bribri, Bu, Castella pakay, Guaba, Guaba pi-tsan, Guama, Guamo macheto, Guavo de castilla, Guavo real, Machetona, Machitnius, Manka allpa kachi, Monkey tambrin, Paben, Pabenka, Pakay, Spectacular inga, Ttembonga fino

Synonyms

Acacia fulgens Labill.; Albizia fulgens (Labill.) Benth.; Archidendron fulgens (Labill.) I. C. Nielsen; Feuilleea spectabilis (Vahl) Kuntze; Inga fulgens (Labill.) Kunth; Inga lucida Kunth; Inga smithii Britton & Killip; Mimosa spectabilis Vahl.;