Ice Cream Bean Tree

Ice cream bean is Inga edulis, a tropical food tree grown for the sweet, cottony pulp surrounding its seeds. World Agroforestry describes mature outdoor trees reaching 30 m with a broad, flat canopy, so allow room for a large tree in suitable tropical climates. [World Agroforestry species profile](https://apps.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=991) ## Fruit and siting The species’ ripe pods contain seeds surrounded by sweet pulp, and the fruit is popular in regions where the tree is grown. Kew recognizes Inga edulis as a tree in Fabaceae, native to tropical America and growing primarily in wet tropical biomes. [Kew Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/128478-2) Choose a bright site with space for a broad canopy. World Agroforestry describes the species as light-demanding and records it on floodplains and in riparian settings; water young seedlings regularly while they establish. ## Establishment Keep a roughly one-meter-diameter area clear around a newly planted tree during its first six months. The species regrows well after pruning but not when cut below 0.75 m. Fresh seeds can germinate within days and are difficult to store, so sow them promptly in a season with regular rainfall. ## Maintenance Water young trees through establishment and prune selectively above strong nodes. Leave enough room for the developing canopy, especially when planting outdoors in a suitable tropical climate.