| Pachira glabra | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Phylum: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Pachira |
| Species: | P. glabra
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| Binomial name | |
| Pachira glabra Pasq.
| |
| Synonyms | |
Pachira glabra (syn. Bombacopsis glabra[1][2]) is a tropical wetland tree in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to eastern Brazil,[3] where it grows along rivers and other waterways.[2] It is generally known by the nonscientific names Guinea peanut,[3][2] French peanut,[2] Saba nut,[4] money tree,[2] and lucky tree.[2] It shares many of these common names with Pachira aquatica, the Malabar chestnut, which is quite similar looking, has similar culinary and ornamental uses, and is often confused with P. glabra.
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Pachira glabra reaches heights of 9–18 meters (30–60 ft),[2] and its leaves are compound with a fan of 5 to 9 leaflets.[2] It has smooth greenish-gray bark and the trunks are often swollen at the base,[2] even at a young age.[5] Its large, white, fragrant flowers bloom on a long, terminal peduncle,[2] opening at night and dropping by the middle of the following day.[5] Its 10–20-centimeter-long (4–8 in) smooth green fruit split open naturally to reveal 10 to 25 irregularly rounded brown seeds that are roughly 2.5 centimeters (1 in) in diameter.[2]
The tree is highly adaptable to various soils and flourishes in full sun or partial shade.[2][4] The tree is both drought and flood resistant.[2][4]
P. glabra is grown in West and Central Africa as a foodcrop. The seeds are rich in oil and contain 16% protein and 40–50% fat.[3][6] The seeds taste similar to peanuts[3] and are typically boiled or roasted,[4] with the roasted seeds sometimes ground to make a hot drink.[3] The young leaves and flowers are also eaten.[3][6]
Young P. glabra trees can easily be grown in flowerpots and survive a range of conditions as long as they remain above freezing temperatures.[3] They are marketed commercially as ornamentals with several small trees in a single flowerpot, their trunks braided; specimens are similar in appearance to P. aquatica and many small ornamentals sold as P. aquatica are actually P. glabra.[5][nb 1] However, P. aquatica has woody gray bark, while P. glabra's is a smoother greenish-gray,[2] and P. aquatica will only develop a swollen trunk with age.[5] Likewise, the flowers of P. aquatica feature red-tipped petals and red anthers,[2] whereas the flowers of P. glabra are all white.[2][5] In addition, the P. aquatica blooms last marginally longer during than those of P. glabra.[5] P. glabra seeds are green rather than brown and half the size of those of P. aquatica. Seed yields are also lower than those of P. aquatica.[2]
