Anacardium occidentale – Cashew Tree

🌰 Anacardium occidentale – Cashew Tree
Native to Brazil and widely grown throughout the tropics, the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a fascinating and highly productive fruiting species that produces both the beloved cashew nut and the juicy, tropical cashew apple. The nut forms outside the fruit in its own shell and must be carefully roasted, while the cashew apple is sweet, tangy, and used in juices, jellies, and traditional fermented drinks.

Cashew trees are fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and thrive in warm, frost-free regions with well-drained soil. In addition to their delicious yield, they make attractive, wide-spreading trees with leathery green leaves and rose-pink flowers that attract pollinators.

📅 Season: Late spring to early summer (nut harvest follows fruiting)
📏 Growth Habit: Medium-sized, wide-canopied tropical tree
🌿 Fruit Use: Cashew nut (roasted); cashew apple (juiced, fresh, fermented)
⭐ Most Important Trait: Produces both a nut and a fruit—a unique tropical tree that’s productive, ornamental, and deeply rewarding for adventurous growers.