Baru
Dipteryx alata
A tall cerrado tree whose roasted nuts taste like a peanut crossed with a cashew; bats and cattle love the fallen fruit.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 45 ft tall, 30 ft wide
Harvest: February to April
From: Brazilian cerrado
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, wildlife.
Native to: Tropical South America. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Baru grows across the cerrado, where its nuts were gathered from the ground for generations; it is now prized as a sustainable wild crop that keeps old trees standing in pastures.
Planting
Full sun in deep, well-drained soil. Plant at the start of the rains with room to grow: it becomes a large tree.
Growing
Drought-hardy once rooted. Water through the first dry season and keep grass back from the young trunk.
Harvest and use
Collect fallen fruit in the dry season. Crack the hard shell and roast the nut before eating; the sweet pulp around it can be eaten too.
What to watch for
Eat the nuts roasted, not raw. The shells are very hard: use a proper cracker, not your teeth.
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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