The world¡¯s largest cashew tree is so big, it is a one-tree forest!
Imagine a tree that is so large it can cover an entire neighborhood. Now, what if we told you that it is not imagination, but such a tree does exist? The Pirangi Cashew Tree in Brazil is so large that it alone can be considered a mini forest.
Pirangi Cashew Tree
Located in Pirangi do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, the Pirangi Cashew Tree has a circumference of around 500 meters and covers an area of 8,400 square meters.?
One of the oldest in the world?
Though it has not been established officially, the Pirangi Cashew Tree is also regarded as one of the oldest, if not the oldest, cashew trees in the world. In 1994, the tree entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest cashew tree.
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According to local legend, it was planted by a fisherman, Luiz Inacio de Oliveira, in 1888. However, others say that given its growth, the cashew tree should be at least a thousand years old.
Size of 70?normal cashew trees
Over the years, the Pirangi Cashew Tree has grown so much that it is now the size of 70 normal cashew trees. It produces over 60,000 cashew fruits per year and also attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over Brazil and beyond.
How did it grow such big
The secret behind the Pirangi Cashew Tree's size is how it grew outwards. As its branches started growing large and heavy, they began to bend toward the ground. This resulted in the branches growing their own set of roots where they touched the ground.?
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In effect, the Pirangi Cashew Tree is a collection of several trees, all spread from one tree but growing independently. Today, the branches have spread out so much that it is nearly impossible to identify the original trunk and thus ascertain its real age.
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