Largest Kashu tree in the world
The largest cashew tree in the world ( Portuguese maior cajueiro do mundo ) is in the Pirangi do Norte district of the city of Parnamirim , twelve kilometers south of Natal , the capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte .
The Kashu tree belongs to the Anacardium occidentale species from the Anacardiaceae family . Unlike normal trees, this specimen has a genetic abnormality. The branches do not grow upwards, but to the side. Due to their own weight, they lean towards the ground with increasing length and, when they touch the ground, form new roots that reach one to two meters into the earth. As a result, the branches become new trunks again, which in turn form further branches so that the tree continues to grow. It seems like there are several trees, but ultimately it's only one. The roots of the main trunk reach around 20-25 m into the earth. The tree now covers an area of around 8500 m², with a circumference of 500 m. That is roughly the area of a soccer field or the surface of 70 normal cashew trees. The age of the tree is estimated to be 110–115 years. If it continues to grow unhindered, biologists assume that the tree could expand to an area of 30,000–40,000 m². However, growth has been limited for years by the surrounding streets. In the harvest season from November to January, the tree bears around 70,000–80,000 cashew fruits (2.5 tons).
The tree is recognized as the largest cashew tree in the world and as such is listed in the Guinness Book of Records (1994 edition). It is one of the main attractions of the region around Natal. In addition to the tree, traders have set up numerous tourist shops where they sell cashew nuts and other souvenirs for sale. In addition, there is an approximately 25 m high observation tower from which one can see the cashew tree.
Photo gallery
Branches of the tree form new roots
Panoramic view of the 8500 m² treetop
Web links
- Video of the world's largest cashew tree on YouTube.
- Information from Viagem de Férias (Portuguese).
- Largest tree in the world ( Memento from August 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
Coordinates: 5 ° 58 ′ 42.7 ″ S , 35 ° 7 ′ 24.1 ″ W.