Caryocar villosum Piquia PFAF Plant Database

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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Caryocar villosum is an evergreen Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 35 m (114ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Caryocar butyrosum (Aubl.) Willd. Pekea butyrosa Aubl. Pekea villosa (Aubl.) Poir. Rhizobolus butyrosus (Aubl.) J.F.Gmel. Saouari villosa Aubl.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil Seed
Edible Uses: Oil

Seed - raw or cooked[63 ]. Eaten as a dessert[317 ]. The large, soft, white kernels have a delicious, rich, almond-like flavour[63 ]. Rich in oil[46 ]. An edible oil is obtained from the tissue surrounding the seed[63 , 317 ]. Another edible oil is obtained from the seed[63 , 317 ]. Fruit - raw or cooked[301 ]. It has the faint smell of rancid butter[301 ]. The fruit is more commonly cooked[416 ]. The fleshy, aromatic, yellow pulp has a slightly sweet flavour[416 ]. The seed case beneath the pulp has rigid spines - care should be taken when eating the fresh fruit that one does not harm themselves on these spines[416 ].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diaphoretic

The leaves and bark are diaphoretic[739 ].

References More on Medicinal Uses

Other Uses

Fencing Oil Wood

The heartwood is yellow to light brownish grey; it is clearly demarcated from the 15mm wide band of dirty white sapwood. The wood is cross-grained, with little if any taste or odour. It is rather hard, heavy, very tough, durable and very resistant to wood-eating organisms. The wood works well; takes nails fairly well; planes moderaely easily but very badly; turns moderately easily but indifferently; polishes indifferently. It is suitable for house and ship building, cabinet making, wheel arches and hubs, fence posts, railway sleepers etc[317 , 419 , 492 ].

Special Uses

Carbon Farming Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Experimental Crop Management: Standard Staple Crop: Oil Wild Staple Crop

A slow-growing tree[419 ].

Carbon Farming

Experimental Crop Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.
Management: Standard Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Oil (0-15 percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Some of these are consumed whole while others are exclusively pressed for oil. Annuals include canola, poppyseed, maize, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut. Perennials include high-oil fruits, seeds, and nuts, such as olive, coconut, avocado, oil palm, shea, pecan, and macadamia. Some perennial oil crops are consumed whole as fruits and nuts, while others are exclusively pressed for oil (and some are used fresh and for oil).
Wild Staple Crop Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - takes 6 - 12 months to germinate[63 ]. Alternatively, immerse the seeds in warm water for 48 hours, changing the water every 12 hours[419 ]. Sow the seed in individual containers in a sunny or lightly shaded position. Pre-soaked seed can sprout within 30 - 50 days with a moderate germination rate[419 ]. Grow young plants on in a sheltered position with some shelter from the sun[63 ]. Seedlings can be planted out when 25 cm tall[324 ]. Good results can be obtained from grafting and marcottage[324 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Amendoa de aspinho, Arbre a beurre, Bats suari, Pekea, Pequia, Piquia, Almendro, Piqui, Petia

Native Range

SOUTHERN AMERICA: French Guiana, Brazil (Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão (north), Pará, Rondônia, Roraima), Ecuador, Peru

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

IUCN Red List

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Caryocar brasiliense	Pequi, Souari nut	Tree	10.0	10-12	S	LMH	N	DM	4	2	2
Caryocar nuciferum	Souari Nut. Butter Nut	Tree	45.0	10-12	M	LMH	N	M	4	2	2

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

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Author

(Aubl.) Pers.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

Caryocar villosum - (Aubl.) Pers.