Cashew

Fifteen species of small to very tall trees make up this genus, which occurs in tropical parts of S and C America, and the West Indies. Anacardium occidentale was introduced from Brazil as a crop to India and the Malay Archipelago during the 16th century, but did not reach Europe until 1699. The seeds became known as cashews, after the Portuguese cajú. The fruits of A. occidentale, known as cashew apples, yield a pleasantly acidic pulp and juice. Shells contain a caustic oil that is extracted before the nuts are removed.

Evergreen tree or shrub, with ovate leaves to 22cm (9in) long. Sweetly scented, pale green, red-striped flowers appear all year in terminal panicles, followed by red or yellow fruits that have a kidney-shaped nut at the base.


Common Name:
Cashew
Other Names:
Marañon, acajou
Botanical Name:
Anacardium occidentale
Genus:
Anacardium
Family:
Anacardiaceae
Cultivation:
Well-drained, sandy soil in sun, with ample moisture during the growing season.
Propagation:
By hardwood cuttings
Harvest:
Leaves are picked at any time and dried. Bark is removed as required and used fresh or dried. Fruits are harvested when ripe and processed into fresh pulp and juice. Oil is extracted from the shells, and the seeds ("nuts") are removed and used fresh or roasted.
Native Location:
Tropical America
Height:
12m (40ft)
Width:
10m (30ft)
Hardiness:
Min. 18°C (64°F)
Parts Used:
Leaves, bark, fruits, seeds, oil.
Properties:
Reduces fever (leaves) and blood sugar levels (bark), and is diuretic (fruits); the nuts (seeds) are a source of nutrients, and the shell oil is toxic to many disease-causing organisms, such as Staphylococcus bacteria.
Medicinal Uses:
Internally for diarrhea (bark and leaf extracts, fruit juice), hypoglycemia (bark extract), and influenza (fruit juice), and, in W Africa, for malaria (leaf and bark infusions). Externally for leprosy, ringworm, warts, and corns (fresh extract from shells), and, in W Africa, for toothache and sore gums (leaf and bark infusions). Bark extract is considered to have contraceptive properties by native Amazonians.
Culinary Uses:
Fruits are eaten fresh, cooked, or dried, or made into chutney or jam. Juice is made into soft drinks, such as cashola, and distilled as fenni and koniagi. Nuts are eated roasted and used in a variety of both sweet and savory dishes, and also ground when raw to make cashew butter, milk, cream, as a substitute for dairy products in special diets.
Economic Uses:
Shell oil is used in brake linings, synthetic rubbers, and to proof paper and wood against insect attack.
Warning:
Oil is skin irritant; oil vapor is irritant if inhaled.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown. Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited. pp 118-119