Has anyone had African Walnut Tetracarpidium conophorum or Plukenetia conophora

[fruitlovers]

Have some plants growing. They look similar to Inca peanut Plukenetia volubulis. Just wondering if they taste and grow similar? They are vining already.

[Sanddollarmoon]

This plant has been an object of my scrutiny for atvleast a year now. I cannot say how it compares to P. volubilis-- the seeds seem to be used for their oil rather than a nut, though I believe it has potential as a commercial crop. There is a description here:
http://plants.jstor.org/upwta/2_250

[fruitlovers]

This plant has been an object of my scrutiny for atvleast a year now. I cannot say how it compares to P. volubilis-- the seeds seem to be used for their oil rather than a nut, though I believe it has potential as a commercial crop. There is a description here:
http://plants.jstor.org/upwta/2_250

It is widely eaten as a nut in Africa. Says so right in your link:
"The seed kernel is edible. Eaten raw they have a bitter flavour not unlike the kola nut and are considered to be tonic (3, 4, 9, 12, 13) and aphrodisiac (14). More usually the kernels are roasted and eaten in the general diet, or added to cakes."
BTW Inca peanut also needs to be roasted before eating.

[Sanddollarmoon]

Sorry, I should have clarified. The plants are more often grown for their seed oil, but I believe the seed itself has potential as commercial crop.

[fruitlovers]

Sorry, I should have clarified. The plants are more often grown for their seed oil, but I believe the seed itself has potential as commercial crop.

It's true that the oil is edible and useful also for many other purposes. Still the plant is most often grown for just eating the nut. All the sites that refer to it say it is a very popular snack food in Nigeria. It's also used a lot medicinally.

[Vernmented]

Not sure what I am going to grow this on but it seems happy. The more fatty nut crops the better.