Peanut butter fruit, botanically Bunchosia argentea is known for its fruits with a peanut butter texture. This evergreen shrub grows well in the tropical regions around the world.
Due to its attractive foliage and orange-red coloured fruits, it is also used for landscaping. The plant fruits round the year and has no specific season.
- Origin: South America (Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil)
- Common names: silver peanut butter fruit, Ciruela Del Monte peanut butter fruit, monkey nut, coconilla and cocona.Scientific
- name: Bunchosia argentea
- Botanical family: Malpighiaceae
- Edibility rating: 4
- Health Benefits: 3
- Maturity period: From seedlings: 3-4 years, vegetative propagation: 2-3 years
- Fruiting season: Year-round, with peak production in summer
- Growing in containers: Possible
- Sunlight requirement: Full sun to light shade
- Growth habit type: Shrub
- Average Height: 6-15 feet
- Average width (canopy span): 6-10 feet
- Growth rate: Medium
- Ease of growing: Easy
Peanut butter tree is a shrub that grows up to 15 feet tall. It develops a dense crown with an attractive foliage.
Peanut growing conditions
The peanut butter plant prefers warm, humid climates. It grows well in well-drained soils, including sandy and loamy soils, and can tolerate slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soils.Sunlight needs: Peanut butter prefers full sun, but grows in partial shade conditions too.
Planting distance: When planted on the ground, a distance of 15 feet would be ideal. However, it could be kept compact by pruning. Pruning may be done to maintain a desired shape and size.
Container friendliness: Peanut butter plants grow very well in containers. Use a pot of 20 litres or more for the best results.
Fruit description
Peanut butter are small, berry-like fruits, round to oblong shaped, about 2 cm in diameter. When ripe, the fruit turns from green to orange and then to red.They can also be eaten fresh, straight off the tree.
It has a mild sweet and tangy flavour. It has a peanut butter-like taste.Though the peanut butter fruit doesn't have an exquisite flavor, it has a high amount of protein and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. In addition, they contain iron, potassium and calcium. It has a low calorific value.
Peanut butter fruit is good for controlling diabetes and cardiac ailments.
They are often used to make jams and sauces.
Medicinal uses: Peanut butter fruit has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may be helpful in some health conditions.
