1. Cashew Ancardia Anacardiaceae occidentale
Theresa Elder
04/17/13

2. Anacardiaceae occidentale
Related to American poison ivy and poison sumac as well as mango and pistachio
Anacardium “upward heart” refers to fruit
Other names Tupi acaju and Portuguese caju, marañon in Spanish

3. Morphology Large evergreen tree 10-14m tall irregular shaped trunk
Flowers are in a panicle up to 26cm long, there are 5 acute slender petals mixed male, female, and both male and female
The actual fruit is the nut or drupe cashew seed, surrounded by a double shell, green turns red
Between shells is oil chemically related to urushiol
A second false fruit, pseudocarp, known as the cashew apple is developed from the swollen stem; yellow, orange or red 5-11cm long
The cashew apple is edible

4. Geography of Cultivation
Native to Northeast Brazil
16th century Portuguese traders introduced to Goa, India as soil retainer
Spread to NE Asia, Africa, and near by islands
Also grown in coastal US states
Some areas cultivate apple while others

5. Features of cultivation
Grown in subtropical and tropical climates
Tolerates poor soil, drought, and salt air
Prefers high humidity
3 years from planting to cultivation

6. Features of cultivation
Cashew nut (drupe)
Cashew apple
Fragile skin unsuitable to transport
Perishable: yeast and fungi species
Can be eaten raw
Fruit pressure steamed before being candied or made into juice, jams, chutneys, and alcohol due to tannins
Fruits picked by hand or fall together
Nuts are sun dried then roasted outdoors or in roasting cylinders
Inner shells broken by hand heated again to remove skin

7. Nutrition and medical uses 1 cashew nut & tree
Common snack food and used Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mozambique and other country cuisine
Oil is topical antifungal, antiseptic. Kills worms
Ground seeds antivenom for snake bites
Cashew nutshell liquid treat tooth abscesses
Bark soaked or boiled as antidiarrheal
Gum used as varnish
Wood used in construction
54% fats and oils
Rich in Anacardic acid
Rich in vitamin C and mineral salts treats premature aging

8. Nutrition and medical uses 2 Cashew apple
5x more vitamin C than orange
Digestive disorders
Fever reducer
Gargle for sore throat
In Brazil, relieve pains/ aches from neurasthenia & arthritis
Stimulates brain and memory
Said to increase resistance to venereal diseases
Enhanced fat oxidation during exercise and endurance performance
Tikuna: influenza, relieve warts, 3 antitumor compounds

9. Cajueiro de Pirangi
World’s largest cashew tree covers and area of 7,500 m² in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

10. References
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11. References 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maior_cajueiro_do_mundo
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