Spanish tamarind is also called Tamarind of the Indies, but this does not originate from Spain or India and it is not related to the tamarind (Tamarindus indica). Instead it originates from Madagascar and is common in many African countries, where it is grown for its large orange edible fruits. It belongs to the same family (Rubiaceae) as coffee.
Names
Scientific
Vangueria madagascariensis
Synonym
Vangueria edulis
English
African tamarind
Spanish tamarind
Tamarind of the Indies
Vavangue tree
Spanish
Tamarindo extranjero
Tamarindo forastero
French
Tamarin des Indes
Tamarinier des Indes
Vavangue
Voavanguier
Taxonomy
Genus
Vangueria
Family
Rubiaceae
Order
Gentianales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Madagascar
Distribution:
Common in Africa, including Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire.
Evergreen or deciduous:
Flowers:
The sweet smelling flowers are greenish-yellow, yellow or cream colored.
Leaves:
The leaves are opposite, about 8 to 24 cm long and 4 to 12 cm broad.
Fruits:
The globular fruits are smooth and shiny. When immature they are greenish, when ripe they are yellowish-brown or orange. The fruits have a diameter of 3 to 4.5 cm and contain 4 or 5 seeds. They have a sweet-sour taste.
Climate and weather:
Tropical and subtropical climates
Height:
Spanish tamarind grows as a branched shrub or small tree and is about 8 meters tall (varies from 2 to 15 meters).
Spacing:
4 to 5 meter.
Propagation:
Can be grown from seed or by cutting.
Uses:
The sweet-sour fruits are edible when fully ripe.
Spanish tamarind is also known for its medicinal properties (antimicrobial and anthelmintic). Roots and bark are used to prepare decoctions.
Crop categories
Fruits
Subtropical crops
Medicinal plants
Food crops
Tropical crops