WHAT IS TAGUA?
Tagua nut, also know as vegetable ivory, is the seed of a palm tree.
Its scientific name is Phytelephas Aequatorialis Macrocarpa or
Microcarpa.
Tagua grows in the tropical rain forests of some South American
countries, mainly Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, being
Ecuador the country that fulfills most of the world’s demand.
The fruit of the Phytelephas Macrocarpa tree is almost completely
round measuring 20 to 50 cm in diameter with a blackish
exterior. This fruit, also known as “mococha”, has many locular
cavities each containing two or more seeds.
The content of the immature fruit is a tasteless crystalline liquid,
when it starts to ripen this turns into a sweet and pleasant milky
substance, transforming later to a gelatinous viscous consistency
and finally becoming an extraordinarily hard product similar in
color, appearance and feel to natural ivory.
Tagua will take 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. A 35 to 40 year old plant measures about 6 feet
and produces, in its 3 yearly harvests, between 15 to 16 heads or
“mocochas”.
Tagua seeds, according to their size, are generally classified into 4
categories: extra large, large, medium and small.
Not only the seeds of the tagua are used to elaborate buttons,
figurines, beads, chess sets, napkin rings, cane and umbrella
holders, door knobs, Christmas ornaments, etcetera but the roots
are said to contain medicinal properties. The leafs are used for
thatching and the tagua shavings are ground into flour and serve
as a mix in cattle feed due to its high energy content.
Natural ivory is being substituted for vegetable ivory thanks to its
similarities in color, appearance, hardness and feel. This helps in
the depredation of elephants and keeps rain forests from being
deforested which in turn favors the ecosystems and the
environment.
Another important factor to consider is that it provides work to
thousands of people in these poor South American countries
giving them and their families a better life and the opportunity of
offering their children a better education.
Tagua nut, also know as vegetable ivory, is the seed of a palm tree.
Its scientific name is Phytelephas Aequatorialis Macrocarpa or
Microcarpa.
Tagua grows in the tropical rain forests of some South American
countries, mainly Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, being
Ecuador the country that fulfills most of the world’s demand.
The fruit of the Phytelephas Macrocarpa tree is almost completely
round measuring 20 to 50 cm in diameter with a blackish
exterior. This fruit, also known as “mococha”, has many locular
cavities each containing two or more seeds.
The content of the immature fruit is a tasteless crystalline liquid,
when it starts to ripen this turns into a sweet and pleasant milky
substance, transforming later to a gelatinous viscous consistency
and finally becoming an extraordinarily hard product similar in
color, appearance and feel to natural ivory.
Tagua will take 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. A 35 to 40 year old plant measures about 6 feet
and produces, in its 3 yearly harvests, between 15 to 16 heads or
“mocochas”.
Tagua seeds, according to their size, are generally classified into 4
categories: extra large, large, medium and small.
Not only the seeds of the tagua are used to elaborate buttons,
figurines, beads, chess sets, napkin rings, cane and umbrella
holders, door knobs, Christmas ornaments, etcetera but the roots
are said to contain medicinal properties. The leafs are used for
thatching and the tagua shavings are ground into flour and serve
as a mix in cattle feed due to its high energy content.
Natural ivory is being substituted for vegetable ivory thanks to its
similarities in color, appearance, hardness and feel. This helps in
the depredation of elephants and keeps rain forests from being
deforested which in turn favors the ecosystems and the
environment.
Another important factor to consider is that it provides work to
thousands of people in these poor South American countries
giving them and their families a better life and the opportunity of
offering their children a better education.
| Tagua Nut Ivory |
| Phytelephas Macrocarpa (Ecuadorian tagua nut tree) |
| Vegetable ivory fruit bunches "mocochas" |
| Vegetable ivory nut (tagua nut seed) |
| Slices of tagua nut |
| © Latin American Handcrafts Corp., 2007. All Rights Reserved |
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