Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Lecythis zabucajo - Sapucaia Nut, Paradise Nut, Monkey Nut
Edible portion: Nuts, Seeds
A large deciduous tree. It grows 35 m high. The trunk is clear and straight when growing in rainforest. Cultivated trees are smaller. The leaves are simple and deep green. They are 12 cm long by 6 cm wide. They are papery with scalloped edges. The flowers are showy and white or yellow with purple edges. They have 6 petals. The stamens are inside a hinged flap. The flowers have a strong scent. The fruit is a capsule or pod 20 cm long by 26 cm wide. It is round with a 'lid'. The seeds are spindle shaped and deeply ridged. They are 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.