Candle Nuts – Aleurites moluccanais

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My candle nut tree Aleurites moluccanais having a very good crop this year and a fellow told me to pick up this season’s nuts, dehusk and clean, then store in an onion bag tied up somewhere in good ventilation. When next season’s nuts start to fall, the previous ones are ready. I found this way they are easier to get whole and cling to the shell less. I doubt it lessens the effect on my stomach of eating more than 5 or 6 to go through quickly but they taste much better and the few people I have tried them on quite liked them. The nut is the official state tree of Hawaii but here the timber had many uses including canoe construction. A gum extracted from the plant was used to strengthen the tapa cloth they made. The timber is known as Indian Walnut.
Ref:  Stirling Macoboy’s book “Trees for Warm and Temperate Climates”

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Sub-Tropical Fruit Club of Qld. Inc Newsletter June – July 2007