Ximenia americana

Ximenia americana, commonly known as tallow wood,[1] hog plum, yellow plum, sea lemon, or pi'ut (Chamorro),[2] is a small sprawling tree of woodlands native to the tropics.

Ximenia americana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Santalales
Family: Olacaceae
Genus: Ximenia
Species:
X. americana
Binomial name
Ximenia americana

Leaves are oval shaped, bright green and have a strong smell of almonds. Flowers are pale in color. Fruits are lemon-yellow or orange-red.[3]

Use as food

The fruits have a pleasant plum-like flavor. In Asia, the young leaves are cooked as a vegetable. However, the leaves also contain cyanide and need to be thoroughly cooked, and should not be eaten in large amounts.

References

  1. "Ximenia americana". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. Raulerson, L., & A. Rinehart. Trees and Shrubs of the Mariana Islands. 1992.
  3. Low, T., Wild Food Plants of Australia, 1991. ISBN 0-207-16930-6


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