Yellow walnut
Beilschmiedia bancroftii

Family: Lauraceae

What it is like

A tree up to 30 m tall. It spreads 5-15 m wide. The bark is brown and rough. The leaves are simple and 7-16 cm long by 3-5 cm across. Young leaves have small hairs underneath. The flowers are 0.5-0.6 cm across. They grow in clusters 10 cm long at the ends of branches. The fruit are 7.5 cm long by 6 cm wide. They hang singly or in bunches. The colour varies from green to orange of brown. There is one seed inside. The seed is 4 cm across.

There are about 100-250 Beilschmeidia species. They are in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits tropical and subtropical locations. It grows in the wet tropics. It grows naturally in rainforest in Queensland, Australia. It grows from sea level to 1300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin), New Zealand

How it is used for food

The seed was eaten after thorough and prolonged processing. This includes baking between wet leaves then peeling, grinding, cooking in the coals, then washing in running water.

Edible parts

Fruit, kernels, nuts

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. Seed needs to be sown fresh.

Trees are fast growing.

Its other names

Local names

Canary ash

Synonyms

Beilschmiedia lachnostemonea F. Muell.; Cryptocarya bancrofti F. M. Bailey;