Ice Cream Bean (Photo courtesy Rare Fruit Club WA - rarefruitclub.org.au)
Ice Cream Bean
Inga laurina
Fabaceae family
Grown from seedling
Technically a legume, the Inga laurina is a very rare type of ice-cream bean in Australia - Inga edulis is much more often found in our part of the world.
Surrounding the inedible black seeds is a thick white juicy pulp which has the texture of cotton candy and tastes very much like vanilla ice-cream. Generally consumed when the pods have turned into shades of yellow-brown - the flesh can be eaten straight from the pod, also used to sweeten and flavour many various foods.
The seeds are toxic when eaten raw, but quite nutritious and safe to eat when fully cooked. The longest pod ever recorded reached 2.07 meters long.
Native to Central and South America.
Tree maintenance
Inga laurina
Fabaceae family
Grown from seedling
Technically a legume, the Inga laurina is a very rare type of ice-cream bean in Australia - Inga edulis is much more often found in our part of the world.
Surrounding the inedible black seeds is a thick white juicy pulp which has the texture of cotton candy and tastes very much like vanilla ice-cream. Generally consumed when the pods have turned into shades of yellow-brown - the flesh can be eaten straight from the pod, also used to sweeten and flavour many various foods.
The seeds are toxic when eaten raw, but quite nutritious and safe to eat when fully cooked. The longest pod ever recorded reached 2.07 meters long.
Native to Central and South America.
Tree maintenance
- Prune after fruiting has finished (approximately early February). This tree can withstand heavy pruning, no need to be too fussy. Prune down to a manageable height, about 2m.
- Fruiting occurs on the tips of branches, don’t cut off all the mature branches at once.
- Fertiliser is not required often; however, if the tree is losing leaves and it’s not wintertime, apply an organic potassium fertiliser, like kelp meal.
- Avoid using a nitrogen fertiliser, as the tree is a nitrogen-fixer on its own.
- Occasional applications of compost around the base of the tree can also be beneficial.
- The tree can tolerate drought, although watering during prolonged drought will be beneficial.
Ice Cream Bean at LCG December 2024 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Ice Cream Bean at LCG August 2022 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
