Algarrobo blanco
Neltuma alba
Simply 'the tree' in the Chaco: sweet pods ground into flour for patay, and shade for everything else.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 40 ft tall, 40 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: Gran Chaco of Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, fixing nitrogen in the soil, wildlife.
Native to: Southern Cone & Patagonia. Hardy in zones 8 to 11.
The story
In the Gran Chaco this tree is simply el árbol, the tree. Wichí, Qom and other peoples timed their year by its harvest and ground the pods into a sweet flour for patay, a pressed cake, and for aloja, a festival drink.
Planting
Full sun and deep soil. It takes heat, drought and salty ground.
Growing
Water to establish; its roots then go down to groundwater. Prune low branches for clearance.
Harvest and use
Gather dry yellow pods in late summer. Grind the whole pod and sift out the hard seeds: the flour is naturally sweet and gluten-free. Bees work the flowers.
What to watch for
Thorns on young branches. Collect pods promptly; damp ones mold.
See if Algarrobo blanco fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.
More fruit trees
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home