Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine January 2016

LOOK OUT FOR…
The Sea Almond —
With More Aliases Than
a Secret Agent
by Lynn Kaak
As you travel through the Caribbean, every month
there’s something special to look out for.
Walk along many of the popular Caribbean beaches, and you will see the Sea
Almond tree. This transplant from the East (possibly the Indian subcontinent or
Indonesia) has become a popular and common addition to the flora of the Caribbean.
Its Latin name is Terminalia Catappa, but it is more commonly known as West
Indian Almond or Tropical Almond. Further abroad, it has names such as Bombay
or Singapore Almond, or simply Indian Almond. The tree is now generally found
throughout the tropics, the seeds carried by humans or drifting on the sea.
Lest one be fooled, this is not the same almond that one usually thinks of, roasted
and salted, seen on the shelf next to the peanuts in a grocery store. False Almond is
another moniker for it. However, the Sea Almond is quite edible, in a different way.
The outer fruit, which is approximately six centimetres long, almond shaped, ripening
to a purplish colour, can be eaten as is, and the inner seed or nut can be consumed
as well, roasted or raw. In St. Lucia, they make a kind of “bark”, or something
like a peanut brittle, with the nut. (It’s a labour-intensive job to prepare this candy,
so if you find it for sale, don’t be surprised if it’s a little pricey.) Due to the nature of
the seed, it doesn’t have the same ability to be stored like the more traditional
almond, so must be eaten within a reasonable time. In South America, cooking oil is
made from the nut.
The tree can grow up to a height of about 27 metres (90 feet). A branch will grow
out from the central trunk, it will then send out horizontal branches, creating a
distinct tiered canopy. With leaves that are quite broad, the trees are popular for
their ability to provide excellent shade. Not surprisingly, these trees are often found
on well-maintained beach areas, such as those of resorts and touristy areas, forming
natural parasols. The large shady area under the famous “Almond Tree” in Port
Elizabeth, Bequia, is a community gathering place.
Sea Almond trees tolerate salt well, preferring areas with good drainage (even sand)
and while they revel in a moderate amount of rainfall, they can handle dry spells
without too much difficulty. The wood withstands water very well.
This tree is deciduous, and the leaves are shed. While this is a semi-annual event
for their occidental cousins, the Sea Almond trees in the Caribbean make this a
year-round habit. The same goes for the fruit production. When you see someone
raking a beach, it may well be because the almonds and leaves are strewn on the
ground, and require cleaning up. The large leaves are multi-coloured, turning to
pink or red or reddish brown with age, with the more colourful ones being the
leaves ready to be dropped.
The flowers are not very showy. A group of the one-centimetre-wide “petal-less”
flowers will grow at the end of a branch on a kind of spike, with either male and
female flowers grouped together, or groups of just male flowers. The small,
greenish-white blooms have a somewhat unpleasant scent (described as fetid by
some sources).
As I’ve mentioned, the fruit and nut or stone are quite edible, but other components
of this tree have been used for herbal medicine in many places for treating
everything from skin problems, to dysentery, liver problems, coughs, asthma and
wounds. Wherever it’s grown, the fruit, leaves and bark have all been put to good use
in traditional medicine. An extract from the leaves has even shown to have some
effect on chloroquine-resistant malarias. The leaves are an excellent source of a
number of nutrients and beneficial compounds.
Meet the Sea Almond, not just known by multiple names, but blessed with multiple
uses as well!
JANUARY 2016 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 39