Yeheb nut
Cordeauxia edulis
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A small evergreen shrub. It has many stems. It grows to about 1.6 m tall but can grow to 2.5 m tall in good growing conditions. It has a long tap root. The leaves are 3-5 cm long. They are divided into 4 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are oval and leathery. They are 1-2.5 cm long and 1-1.4 cm wide. The flowers have both sexes and are carried in clusters at the ends of branches. They are bright yellow and 2.5 cm across. The pods are 4-6 cm long and curved with a beak. The pods are leathery and slightly flattened. The pods contain 1-4 seeds. The seeds are round and about 12 mm across.
The seed is nutritious
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in arid and semi arid areas in Somalia and Ethiopia. It is a very hardy shrub. It can survive droughts. It suits areas with an average temperature of 25°C. It grows in Ethiopia from 300-1000 m altitude. The average rainfall is 250-400 mm but it can grow with rainfalls down to 150-200 mm. It grows in poor low nitrogen soils. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Australia, East Africa, Ethiopia, Israel, Kenya, Mediterranean, Middle East, North America, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, USA, Yemen
How it is used for food
Seeds are dried then boiled or roasted or eaten raw. Tea is made from the leaves.
It is an important food of the poor people in Ethiopia.
Edible parts
Seeds, leaves - tea
How it is grown
Plants naturally reseed easily. Seeds are best sown where the plant is to grow due to the large taproot. Seeds should be sown fresh as they remain viable for only a few months.
Plants grow slowly in the early stages. They may produce few pods in the first three years. Trees can live for very many years. In humid conditions plants produce more leaves but few seeds. Plants are pollinated by insects. Pods can develop 2 weeks after flowering. Immature fruit can remain dormant on the plant until further rains allow them to reach maturity. Yields of about 5 kg of seed per shrub can be obtained. A seed weighs 2-3 g.
Its other names
Local names
Ehb, Gud, Geed-yicib, Jeheb, Qud, Quda, Ye-eb