Ice Cream Bean

The ice cream bean (Inga edulis) is a fast growing tree from South America. Its long green pods split open to reveal soft, white pulp around the seeds, with a sweet flavour often compared to vanilla ice cream. Kids love it.

As a legume it fixes nitrogen in the soil, and it grows quickly into a shady, spreading tree, so it is often planted to shelter other fruit trees. It can be pruned to keep it a manageable size. It likes warmth, full sun, regular water and protection from frost, and young trees can start bearing within a few years.