River koko
Inga vera

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 12-20 m tall. The crown is widely spreading. The trunk can be 30-100 cm across. The leaves are alternate in 2 rows. The leaves are compound with 3-7 pairs of leaflets. There is a tiny round gland between each pair of leaflets. The leaflets are oblong and 5-15 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. The flowers are in clusters of 1-4. They are at the base of the leaf or at the ends of twigs. The fruit are pods. They are 10-20 cm long by 1-2 cm wide.

Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in moist forests. It grows between 60-700 m above sea level. It grows in the humid lowland forest. It grows best in areas with a daytime temperature between 18-28°C and an average annual rainfall between 1,200-4,000 mm. It is best in soils with a pH between 6-8.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America (country/location of origin), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America (country/location of origin), St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies

How it is used for food

The sweet pulp around the seeds is eaten raw.

It is only occasionally eaten. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit - aril, pod pulp

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. They can be grown in a nursery and then planted out after 3-4 months.

Trees flower and fruit throughout the year.

Its other names

Local names

Acontepe, Cuajinicuil, Guaba, Inga-de-beira-de-rio, Illta, Jacanicuil, Pwa dou, Sikren, Suru pakay, Vaina peluda

Synonyms

Feuilleea inga (L.) Kuntze; Inga berteroana DC.; Inga inga (L.) Britton; Inga lamprophylla Benth.; Inga racemaria Uribe; Inga riparia Pittier; Mimosa inga L.; amd others