ICE CREAM BEAN --Inga Edulis--

Rare! Tree native to South America, used to make the alcoholic beverage cachiri. Makes large seed pods full of a sweet and delicious pulp that can be eaten raw, and has a flavor like vanilla ice cream. Seeds are edible when cooked and taste like chickpeas. Tree is a vigorous and fast grower and is used for nitrogen fixing of the soil in its native region. Makes great shade, and pollinators love the flowers. Leaves, bark, and root have been used as a medicinal historically for coughs, arthritis, and digestive upset. Rich source of polyphenol antioxidants.