Almondette, Charoli Nut

Buchanania lanzan

Physical Characteristics

Buchanania lanzan is an evergreen Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Distribution

E. Asia - southern China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Oil Seed Edible Uses: Gum Oil Seed - raw or cooked[ 46 , 301 , 310 ]. An excellent flavour, somewhat reminiscent of almonds or pistachios[ 63 , 301 ]. Eaten as a dessert seed and also used in sweetmeats[ 46 , 63 ]. In some parts of India the dried fruit and seed are baked together to make a sort of bread[ 63 ]. They are ground into powders for thickening savory sauces and flavoring batters, and stewed into rich, meaty kormas. The seed contains about 50% oil[ 63 ]. The seed is fairly small, about 7mm long[ 63 ]. After the hard shell is cracked, the stubby seed within is as soft as a pine nut. The fruit hangs on the tree for quite a long while after it has ripened[ 372 ]. Fruit - a pleasant, sweetish, subacid flavour[ 301 , 335 ]. Eaten fresh, or dried for later use[ 335 ]. The fruit is 15mm long[ 335 ]. An oil is obtained from the seed[ 301 , 335 ]. Light yellow with a sweet flavour and pleasant aroma, it can be used as a substitute for almond or olive oil[ 63 , 301 ]. Carbon Farming - Staple Crop: protein-oil.

Medicinal Uses

Acrid Antiasthmatic Antidiarrhoeal Antitussive Astringent Depurative Leprosy Skin The gum from the tree is used against leprosy in traditional medicine[ 310 ]. Charoli seeds are used in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine. The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and constipating. They are useful in the treatment of diarrhoea[ 372 ]. The leaves are used in the treatment of skin diseases[ 372 ]. The fruits are used in treating coughs and asthma[ 372 ].

Known Hazards

None known