trefle.io · Taken Jan 14, 2020 by Aelle J (cc-by-sa)
Sapindaceae
Akee
Blighia sapida
Also known as Aki, Achee, Ackee, Cupania akeesia
Tropical Plants · Edibles & Herbs · Native Plants · Trees & Shrubs · Tropical · Fruit Tree · Edible · Exotic · Caribbean · Large Tree · Jamaica · Rare · Toxic Unripe · Warm Climate
Akee is a large tropical tree best suited to warm, frost-free climates in USDA zones 10-11, requiring full sun and well-drained soil. It demands consistent moisture during establishment but develops moderate drought tolerance once mature. Note that only the properly ripened, opened arils are safe to eat — unripened fruit is highly toxic and must never be consumed.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water deeply to saturate the root zone then allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry before watering again · Every 7-10 days
- Maintenance
- High
- Soil
- loam
- Temperature
- -20°F to 90°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed
Hardiness
USDA 5a-10b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 18 in
- Spacing
- 144 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Fruit
- Yes
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Cayman Is., Cuba, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf Of Guinea Is., Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Liberia, Mali, Nigeria
- Attracts
- Bees, Birds
Sources: trefle
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