Which tree produces the cashew nut and the fleshy cashew apple?

The cashew tree produces both the cashew nut and the fleshy cashew apple.

Anacardium occidentale is a tropical evergreen tree native to northeastern Brazil. Its edible cashew “nut” is actually the seed attached to the outside of a swollen stalk called the cashew apple. The apple is a juicy accessory fruit that can be eaten fresh or made into drinks and preserves.

The hard shell around the seed contains caustic compounds, including cardol and anacardic acids. For that reason, raw cashews in their shells must be handled and processed carefully before the kernels are sold as food.

Portuguese traders spread cashews to other tropical regions in the sixteenth century. Today, major production occurs in countries including Côte d’Ivoire, India, Vietnam, and Tanzania.