The agricultural origin and botany of cashews.
1. Domestication and Spread:
Early cultivation: While native to Central and South America, cashews were likely domesticated by indigenous peoples centuries ago.
Global expansion: The Portuguese played a significant role in spreading cashew trees to other tropical regions during their explorations. This expansion contributed to the global diversity of cashew cultivation.
2. Botanical Characteristics:
Tree morphology: Cashew trees are tropical evergreen trees that can grow quite tall. They have spreading branches and leathery leaves.
Flowering and fruiting: Cashew trees produce small, yellowish flowers followed by the cashew apple, which is a fleshy fruit that develops at the end of a stem. The cashew nut grows at the base of the apple.
Adaptation: Cashews are well-adapted to tropical climates, thriving in warm temperatures and high humidity. They are often found growing near coastal areas or in areas with good soil drainage.