Tagua Nut Ring

Tagua nut, also know as vegetable ivory, is the fruit of a tree similar to a palm but botanically not belonging to the palmaceus but to the ciclantaceus. Its scientific name is Phytelephas Aequatorialis Macrocarpa.

Tagua grows in the tropical rainforests of some South American countries, mainly Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. Its fruit is almost egg shaped having a brown exterior. It takes approximately 15 years to produce its first harvest and will not stop bearing fruit for all of the years and even a century to come.The plant is about 6 feet tall. Its roots are said to contain medicinal properties while the leaves are used for hut roofing and serve as a mix in cattle feed due to its high content of energy.