Ice Cream Bean

Ice Cream Bean (Inga Bean) plants are part of the legume family, which means they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form nodules on the plant's roots, providing the plant with nitrogen. An attractive medium-sized tree that provides dappled shade or a beautiful background tree with dark green leaves. The foliage has a reddish bronze colour when young. The tree can drop its leaves in winter, depending on the climate. Fragrant white spikey fluffy flowers in spring and summer.

The fruit pods are brown, roughly hairy and become dry as they ripen. They can grow up to 1 metre long and contain sweet, juicy candy floss with a soft cotton wool texture and the taste of vanilla ice cream. A delectable snack that comes in its own wrapper and is loved by children. It can be eaten fresh or used as a flavouring in desserts. Seeds can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. In Mexico, they roast them and sell them as a snack. They are harvested from autumn into winter.