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AMAZONIAN NUTS

Latin Name: Bertholletia excelsa

Family: Lecythidaceae

Height: A Brazil nut tree can reach a height of over 50 m.

Nut production: Nuts are produced in significant amounts only after about 12-15 years.

The Fruit: The fruits, weighing 0.5 – 2.5 kg contain 10-15 seeds each. The number of capsules produced each year per tree is between 60 to 300 with a total weight of 40 kg.

Harvest and processing: Brazil nuts are harvested almost entirely from wild trees during a 5 month period in the wet season. Because the trees are so tall, the fruits are collected when they have fallen to the ground and must be chopped in order to obtain the nuts.

Nutritional information:

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