Help identifying a feral fruiting shrub

gazzahbroome starts with ...
Could any one please help identify this plant that has grown wild in my backyard in Broome? I assume the original seed was brought in by birds or fruit bats that roost in a poinciana overhanging our fence. I do remember seeing on the ground in the vicinity similar seeds to the woody bit protruding from the bottom of the fruit. I just hope it isn't toxic or a noxiuos weed

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micarle says...
Cashew!!!!! Wow. Wish they popped up round my way!!

Wayne says...
It certainly does look like a cashew but I am absolutely stumped as to how a critter could spread it.

If it is a cashew, yes the flower is toxic but the seed isn't [of course] Many years ago I tried to de-husk these critters in a camp oven and ended up with a pot of oil, so you need better advise than I can give

trikus says...
BE VERY CAREFUL roasting cashews , poisonous fumes and caustic juices .

John Mc says...
I bought one from Daley's not long ago. I assume it might not be warm enough here, just north of Sydney? I read of someone having success with one in Morisset(15mins away), which would be slightly colder than here. Pot maybe? inside my, to be built large poly tunnel?.
Half of my place didn't get frost on that coldest day in 63 years, but the temps do get very low over winter. Average about 5ºC.

Diana says...
Hi Brendan,

I was put off getting a cashew from the description of the toxic liquid in the shell, and the need for precautions when processing the nuts described in the Daley's print catalogue. I have just been looking up what this is. It does not contain arsenic. I found this in some chemistry papers and the Worksafe Australia website:

'CNSL is a viscous, reddish brown liquid obtained via a number of ways. It can be derived by hot oil extraction, roasting at high temperatures and mechanical extraction.'

'Solvent extracted cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), conventionally known as natural CNSL, is a mixture of several alkenyl phenols. One of these alkenyl phenols is anacardic acid, which is present at the highest concentration.'

'CNSL is used in the manufacture of resins, automotive brake linings, heatproof and waterproof paint, corrosion-resistant varnish, insulating enamels, and anti-biofouling paint. It has properties against insects, molluscs, fungi, and microbes.'

According to Worksafe Australia's Criteria for the Classifiying of Hazardous
Substances, CNSL Resin is considered harmful due to its potential skin and
eye irritant and skin sensitising effects from the cashew nut shell liquid residual
monomer, thereby classing it as a type 1 ingredient according to the National Model
Regulations for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances.
Toxic properties: toxic by ingestion, skin irritant, eye irritant, skin sensitiser.
Ammonia and trace formaldehyde form during processing (heating and polymerisation).

There you go. I still don't want to get one of these trees, as much as I love cashews. I have heard of people growing them only for the cashew apples.

Diana.

speedy says...
If I lived in a climate suitable for cashews, I would grow them.
'Feni' would be the primary product. 8-)
... and the nuts, If I got organized enough to process them, would be a bonus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenny

allybanana says...
As a kid in Papua New Guinea i ate the fruit they have got to be very very ripe before you eat them or they are astringent. In PNG you could get the red and the yellow cashew fruit at the market to eat.

The locals were horrified when we split the seeds open to eat the kernel they used the corrosive juice traditionally for tattooing. Unfortunately my four-year-old sister over heard this conversation and secretly got the scrap pod halves and corroded a rather artistic tree tattoo on her leg. My parents were horrified, they thought she was going to be scared for life, but it went away after a couple of months.

juanita says...
You can buy bottled cashew fruit (extracted from the ripened yellow fruit) juice from El Salvadorian shop & tastes really good.