Rain Tree (Samanea saman)

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

Commonly found in Northern South America, Samanea saman or Rain Tree is a multi-purpose tree often cultivated for its timber and as food, medicine, and gums among others. It has a spreading and low type of dense and dome-shaped crown, and a short and usually crooked bole that can be up to 200cm in diameter. It grows up to 30-60m tall. Due to its dense canopy, rain tree is planted in plantations as shade tree for coffee, cacao, and other crops.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweet-flavoured pulp. — Children eat the pods, which contain a brownish, sticky, liquorice-like, sweet-flavoured pulp.; A lemon-like fruit drink is also made from the pulp.; The pods are more or less straight with conspicuously thickened edges, 12 - 20cm long, 1 - 2cm wide and 1.2cm thick.; The tree yields a gum of inferior quality which could be used as a poor man's substitute for gum arabic.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry lowland grassland, coastal bushland and forest. (Zone 10)