We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Buchanania lanzan - Spreng.

Common Name Almondette, Charoli Nut
Family Anacardiaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats In open and dry forests on poor soils[ 310 ]. Lowland forests in southern China at elevations of 100 - 900 metres[ 310 ].
Range E. Asia - southern China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Buchanania lanzan Almondette, Charoli Nut


wikimedia.org
Buchanania lanzan Almondette, Charoli Nut
wikimedia.org User:Badagnani

 

Translate this page:

Summary

Buchanania lanzan or Almondette is an evergreen tree that grows around 18 m tall and is found in East Asia. The fruit is eaten fresh or dried for later consumption. Almondette has an almond-flavoured seeds known as 'charoli' that is used mainly in India as a cooking spice and dessert. The seed produces oil with a sweet flavour and pleasant scent thus it can be used as substitute for almond or olive oil. Moreover, it is used in Ayurveda and Unani medicine. Gum obtained from the tree is used as treatment for leprosy. The roots, on the other hand, are used against diarrhoea, the leaves against skin ailments, and the fruits against coughs and asthma. The wood of Almondette is of poor quality hence usage is limited as firewood and for charcoal-making. Seeds are known as charoli or chironji. Buchanania lanzan Spreng. is a synonym of Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of cone
Buchanania lanzan is an evergreen Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Note:Buchanania lanzan Spreng. is a synonym of Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida. Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida Buchanania latifolia Roxb.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Oil  Seed
Edible Uses: Gum  Oil

Seed - raw or cooked[ 46 , 301 , 310 ]. An excellent flavour, somewhat reminiscent of almonds or pistachios[ 63 , 301 ]. Eaten as a dessert seed and also used in sweetmeats[ 46 , 63 ]. In some parts of India the dried fruit and seed are baked together to make a sort of bread[ 63 ]. They are ground into powders for thickening savory sauces and flavoring batters, and stewed into rich, meaty kormas. The seed contains about 50% oil[ 63 ]. The seed is fairly small, about 7mm long[ 63 ]. After the hard shell is cracked, the stubby seed within is as soft as a pine nut. The fruit hangs on the tree for quite a long while after it has ripened[ 372 ]. Fruit - a pleasant, sweetish, subacid flavour[ 301 , 335 ]. Eaten fresh, or dried for later use[ 335 ]. The fruit is 15mm long[ 335 ]. An oil is obtained from the seed[ 301 , 335 ]. Light yellow with a sweet flavour and pleasant aroma, it can be used as a substitute for almond or olive oil[ 63 , 301 ]. Carbon Farming - Staple Crop: protein-oil.

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.
Acrid  Antiasthmatic  Antidiarrhoeal  Antitussive  Astringent  Depurative  Leprosy  Skin


The gum from the tree is used against leprosy in traditional medicine[ 310 ]. Charoli seeds are used in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine. The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and constipating. They are useful in the treatment of diarrhoea[ 372 ]. The leaves are used in the treatment of skin diseases[ 372 ]. The fruits are used in treating coughs and asthma[ 372 ].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Charcoal  Fuel  Gum  Oil  Soil stabilization  Tannin  Wood

Other uses rating: Medium (3/5). Agroforestry Uses: A good species for afforesting bare hill slopes[ 372 ]. Other Uses The bark is used in tanning[ 146 , 310 ]. The tree yields a gum copiously in large, irregular pieces[ 146 ]. It is only partially soluble in water (about 10% insoluble), but it gives a good mucilage and can be useful in cheap manufacturing processes[ 146 ]. The gum has adhesive properties[ 46 ]. An oil is obtained from the seed[ 46 ]. The greyish-brown wood has a small, dark-coloured heartwood[ 146 ]. It is moderately hard[ 146 ]. Of poor quality, it is only used as firewood and for making charcoal[ 146 , 310 ]

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Management: Standard  Regional Crop  Staple Crop: Protein-oil

A plant of mainly drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 32 - 42°c, but can tolerate 5 - 48°c[ 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 750 - 2,200mm[ 418 ]. Grows well in full sun but can also tolerate considerable shade, especially when small[ 418 ]. Succeeds in most soils, including dry soils[ 146 , 418 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 4.9 - 7.2[ 418 ]. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: regional crop only. Management: standard.

Carbon Farming

  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
  • Staple Crop: Protein-oil  (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Buchanania lanzan, Charoli Nut or Almondette. Seeds are known as charoli or chironji. Achar, Almondette, Calumpang nut tree, Chara, Charee, Charkoli, Charoli, Cheronjee, Chirauli-nut, Chirauli, Chironji, Chivoli, Cuddapah almond, Erpe, Hak phuu, Kalompang, Lambo, Lone-hpo, Ma ca, Mamuang maeng wan, Men van, Morala, Munga pera, Nurkal, Pival, Piyar, Pyar, Rak muu, Tapasya-priya.

Native Range

TROPICAL ASIA: India, Indonesia, Malaysia,

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.

None Known

Conservation Status

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

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Clematis buchananiana Climber6.0 6-9 FLMHSNM12 

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.

 

Expert comment

Author

Spreng.

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.

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Buchanania lanzan  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.