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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

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

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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

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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

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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 itâ€™s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

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

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Clematis buchananiana		Climber	6.0	6-9	F	LMH	SN	M	1	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.

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.

Buchanania lanzan - Spreng.