Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola)

Family: Clusiaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Bitter Kola or Garcinia kola is an evergreen flowering tree with a heavy, spreading crown and can grow up to 30 m in height. It can be found in tropical Africa. The trunk is straight with brown bark. The leaves are leathery. The flowers are greenish-white. The seeds can be eaten raw. The reddish-yellow fruits are extremely sour but is edible. In Nigeria, these are eaten as a cure for body pains.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

aromatic flavour; — They have a bitter, astringent, aromatic flavour; somewhat resembling that of a raw coffee bean.; This is followed by a slight sweetness (or lingering pepperiness).; The seeds are chewed along with the seeds of the true cola (Cola spp.).; They are thought to enhance a person's enjoyment of the cola as well as allowing for consumption of larger quantities without indisposition.

Habitat & North American Range

An understorey tree of dense rainforest, often in wet situations, riverine and swamp, found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. (Zone 10)