Ice-cream bean
Inga edulis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A medium to large tree. It can be 10-20 m high. The trunk is 35-40 cm wide. The leaves are compound. They are 10-25 cm cm long. There are 4-6 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are near the ends of branches. The fruit is a long pod. It can be 1 m long and 2.5-3 cm wide. It is green. The pulp is bright white. There are several large seeds inside. The seeds are 3 cm long.

There are 350 Inga species. Also as Mimosaceae. Probably in a hot house in Slovenia.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can grow in the subtropics. It grows naturally in regions with an average temperature of 20°C. The rainfall is 1,000 - 5,000 mm per year. It grows naturally along river banks, lakes and swamps in the Brazilian Amazon. It will stand temperatures near freezing when mature. It can grow in very acid soils with a pH of 4 and with high aluminium. In Bolivia it grows up to 1500 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Andes, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galapagos, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Panama, Peru, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Tanzania, Vanuatu, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are always eaten fresh. The pods are split open and the pulp eaten. The flavour is sweet and resembles vanilla ice-cream.

It is popular in Central and South America. It is a cultivated food plant. The fruit are sold.

Edible parts

Pod pulp, fruit - aril, seed

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Fresh seeds have a high germination. The pulp around the seed is removed and they are planted 2 cm deep. Cuttings are very difficult to form roots.

Trees can start producing in 3 years. Pods do not store well. Trees fruit all year round including the dry season.

Its other names

Local names

Ali pakay, Baboon tail whitey, Bribri, Copocoqui, Doho arau, Food Inga, Frerogus, Frerogust, Geli-weko, Guaba, Guajinicuil de sombra, Guama, Guampa, Guamo, Guavo-bejuco, Huaba, Inga macarrao, Inga-Cipo, Inga-de-macaco, Inga-rabo-de-mico, Jacanicuil, Juiniquil, Korokoroshiri, Krepu uhi, Machete, Pacae, Pacai, Pacay, Paidyawa, Pitsa, Pi'ysan, Pohon eskrim kacang, Pohon inga edulis, Pu shillo, Puu shiichi, Puu shillu, Rope whitey, Sichi jacquie, Sunikara, Swieti bonki, Tite-weko, Wampa, Warako-sa, Xenane

Synonyms

Feuilleea conferta (Benth.) Kuntze; Feuilleea edulis (Mart.) Kuntze; Feuilleea scabruiscula (Benth.) Kuntze; Inga benthamiana Meissn.; Inga chorrerana T.S. Elias; Inga complanata Amshoff; Inga conferta Benth.; Inga edulis var. parvifolia Benth.; Inga scabriuscula Benth.; Inga scabriuscula var. villosior Benth.; Inga uncinata Spruce ex Benth.; Inga vera Kunth.; Inga ynga (Vell.) J.W. Moore; Mimosa inga Vell.;