Velvet tamarind (yoyi)
Dialium guineense
Black velvet shells crack open on orange, sweet-sour pulp: a favourite school-gate snack.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 40 ft tall, 25 ft wide
Harvest: January to March
From: West African forests and coastal thickets
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, pollinators.
Native to: West & Central African forests, African savannas & tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Velvet tamarind, called yoyi in Ghana and awin in Nigeria, is a favourite snack sold by the handful outside schools. Crack the black velvety shell and suck the orange, sweet-sour pulp from the seed.
Planting
Full sun, almost any soil including sandy coastal ground; tolerates a long dry season. Grows from seed.
Growing
Little care once established. Prune low branches for shade underneath.
Harvest and use
Pods ripen in the dry season; store them dry for months.
What to watch for
Slow from seed. Swallowing the hard seeds is not advised.
See if Velvet tamarind (yoyi) fits your yard
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
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