Inga Bean |
Inga Edulis |
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(Note: This plant is no longer produced by incredible edibles®.)
Native to riverbanks, swamps and lakes of the Brazilian Amazon, it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Inga pods have long been a favourite snack for many people in Central and South America, although the tree is still undervalued outside these regions.
Inga Bean is part of the family Leguminosae, nitrogen fixing plant. Nitrogen fixing bacteria form nodules on the plant roots providing the plant with nitrogen that they fix from the air.
Known as the Ice Cream Bean tree.
Landscape Value
This attractive tree creates a dappled shade or an interesting background tree with its rich dark green and bronze coloured fern-like foliage. Reaches a height of 15m in its native country but in New Zealand will only reach about 6-8 metres.
Nutritional Value
The seeds are a good source of protein.
How to Eat
Pods up to 1 metre long contain sweet, juicy, white pulp that has a soft cotton wool texture and tastes of vanilla ice-cream. "A delectable snack that comes in its own natural wrapper" which is loved by children. Can be eaten fresh or used as flavouring for deserts. Seeds can be cooked and eaten like a vegetable, in Mexico they roast and sell as a snack.
Expected Yield
Trees start producing pods in 3 years.
Generic Fruiting Time
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
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Growing
Sun
Prefers full sun and will flower and fruit best in these conditions but will tolerate semi-shade.
Wind
They are not very wind hardy. But will tolerate some salt in sheltered conditions.
Climate
Inga Bean is not frost hardy but will tolerate brief frosts. If they are exposed to long frost periods the plant will dry back but will come away in the spring. Most suited to warm temperate climates.
Soil
Easy to grow, low maintenance tree that will grow in poorer soils. They will even grow in a wide range of ph from 4.0 to 8.5. Inga Bean will handle some water logging and short drought periods.
Planting
Frost tender. Protect from frost especially while young thou will recover from light frosts.
Fertiliser
As the plant produces its own nitrogen a fertiliser is not necessary unless it grows in a water logged conditions.
Pruning
Minimal pruning required to maintain desired shape and size. Remove dead or diseased branches.
Pests
Seem to be resistant to most problems.
Hardiness
0
Special Conditions