African Walnut
Latin Name: Coula edulis
USDA Hardiness: 10-12
Native Range: AFRICA: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, Côte D Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone.
Edibility Rating: 3 / 5
Medicinal Rating: 0 / 5
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Family:
Plant Type:
Medicinal Uses
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Oil Seed | Edible Uses: Condiment OilSeed - raw or cooked[ 46 , 63 ]. A good dessert nut with a pleasant taste[ 63 ]. The oily kernel has a taste comparable to that of a chestnut or hazelnut[ 303 ]. It can be eaten raw, grilled or boiled[ 303 ]. The seed contains 50% oil, of which 87% is oleic acid[ 63 , 303 ]. The seed is also fermented and used as a condiment[ 46 ]. The spherical fruit is about 3cm long[ 335 ].
Cultivation
Management: Standard Regional CropA plant of the hot, humid, lowland tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 35°c, but can tolerate 20 - 40°c[ 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 800 - 2,500mm[ 418 ]. Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade[ 418 ]. Shading is beneficial when plants are young[ 303 ]. The tree has no special soil requirements[ 303 ]. Prefers a well-drained soil[ 418 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7[ 418 ]. Fruit is normally borne plentifully in the wild[ 303 ].
Known Hazards
None known
Habitats
It has its main distribution in the rain forest. Tolerates moderate shade and is normally a constituent of the upper reaches of the lower storey but is also found in the upper canopy. Semi-gregarious, it does not appear to be selective about sites[ 303 ].