cashews

     

The cashew (Anacarium occidentale; syn. Anacardium curatellifolium A.St.-Hil.) is a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The plant is native to northeastern Brazil. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew "nuts" (see below) and cashew apples.

Trivia about cashews

  • These kidney-shaped nuts grow from the bottom of a tropical "apple"
  • If you go to Goa, you may try feni, a local liquor that can be made from these kidney-shaped nuts
  • An oil extracted from the shells of these kidney-shaped nuts related to poison ivy is used in insecticides