Cashew
Anacardium occidentale
Cashew is a spreading evergreen tree that bears a juicy, colourful "apple" with the kidney-shaped nut hanging beneath it. It thrives in coastal, sandy soils and is widely grown in Kerala, Goa, Odisha and coastal Bengal.
Photo: Abhishek Jacob · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Low
Water young trees in the dry season; mature trees are drought tolerant.
Soil
Sandy or red laterite soil with good drainage; pH 5.0–6.5.
Temperature and humidity
10–40 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Apply compost and a balanced fertilizer after the monsoon.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by grafting, seed, air layering
Shape young trees to a low, open framework and remove dead wood after harvest.
The cashew apple is edible. The raw nut shell contains a caustic oil that burns skin, so nuts must be roasted and shelled carefully; never crack raw nuts with bare hands.
Top Cultivation Tips
Grafted trees bear in 3 years.
Collect nuts after the apples fall.
Sun-dry nuts before storing.
Good for coastal and sandy gardens.
Common problems
Anthracnose
A fungal disease that causes dark, sunken spots on leaves, flowers and fruit, especially mango, chilli and papaya.
How to treat it →PestCaterpillars
The larvae of moths and butterflies, which chew holes in leaves, flowers and fruit and can strip a plant in days.
How to treat it →PestMealybugs
White, cottony insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, weakening plants and spreading easily to neighbours.
How to treat it →
