Manila Tamarind (Seedling) Fruit Plant

Manila tamarind (Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth.) is small to a medium-sized semi-evergreen leguminous tree. It is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. This is native to the Pacific Coast and adjacent highlands of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Other names are Camachile, Monkey Pods, Sweet Inga, Madras Thorn, consume as such or incorporated into foods, for its sweet and tart pulp from fruits, in the form of seed pods. Manila galleons naturalized them in the Caribbean and Florida, as well as the Philippines and Guam. It is also introduced to Thailand and South Asia. The tree reaches a height of about 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft).

Manila tamarind is a fast-growing tree. Its trunk is spiny and its leaves are bipinnate. The leaves are paripinnate with 4 leaflets (2.0-3.5 cm long x 1.0-1.5 cm wide). Small thorns (2.0-15.0 mm long) are on each side of the leaf pedicels, though some varieties are thornless. However, pods are thin and set in a spiral of 1 to 3 whorls. The pods contain 10 seeds and the seeds are flat, black, and shiny (1 cm in diameter).

Fruits are greenish-brown to red-pinkish, indehiscent pods. Manila tamarind is an N-fixing legume that can survive dry periods and grow in most types of soil. It is tolerant of salinity and will grow in brackish water. In conclusion, the Manila tamarind is a multipurpose tree. Above all, its pods are edible and contain a thick sweetish acidic pulp. In addition, they are eaten raw or added into a soft drink similar to lemonade.

Manila Tamarind Benefits

• They possess immense amounts of essential nutrients and therapeutic biochemicals, that offer remarkable health merits
• It is high in dietary fibers, proteins, and water content, to regulate appetite, promote weight loss, and enhance digestion processes
• Manages toothaches, sore gums, and mouth ulcers
• The bark extract helps to cure dysentery and chronic diarrhea
• It is high in thiamine content which helps in promoting the body to convert sugars into energy, which impacts the mood and helps stabilize stress levels
• A study published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that fruit extracts protected the liver from oxidative
• Helps to treat oily scalp and prevents hair loss
• Slow down the aging – lightens the skin, removes dark spots, and cures acne
• Oil extracted from the seeds is used for cooking or for making soaps
• Manila tamarind oil meal, pods, and leaves are useful livestock feeds
• Thie fruit plant provides valuable hardwood timber for construction, paneling, boxes, and posts