Beans, leaves, bark.
The ice cream bean has medicinal properties, just like most of the Inga varieties found in Colombia. Both the leaves and the bark can be prepared as decoctions used to treat diarrhea due to their astringent effect or as a lotion in cases of rheumatism and arthritis. Root decoctions can be enhanced with pomegranate rind, then used to cure cases of diarrhea and dysentery. Dropsy and digestive problems can be treated with the bark and the fruit while the plant was also considered a counter for headaches by the Cuna Indians. However, the main use of the ice cream bean is as food. The white flesh that covers the seeds can be consumed raw or as an ingredient in dessert dishes in order to enhance their taste. The ice cream bean tree is also a popular choice to provide shade for other species, in particular vanilla, cacao, coffee or tea, all across south and Central America. They are also cultivated for shade in parks and cities, as well as protection for watersheds. Even before the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the tree was mixed with cacao and coffee in plantations. They provide several big advantages: they grow very fast, increase soil fertility, prevent erosion, can survive radical pruning and provide a lot of shade. Natives of Colombia also use the aril to brew a traditional alcoholic drink named cachiri, which is drunk at a special festival. In Panama, Choco Indians believe that the wood of ice cream bean tree doesn't rot so they use it to build the structure of their homes. It is often found cultivated for this purpose in their villages.
The original native range of the ice cream bean tree is very extensive, starting from the island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean to the Amazon rainforest. It is usually found in wet areas near rivers and streams. Its seeds are spread by monkeys and birds that are attracted by the sweet flesh. Ice cream bean can reach an impressive size in the Amazon, where pods grow as big as 3 feet. The ice cream bean is very easy to propagate since it grows fast from seeds. The seed should be planted immediately after consuming the flesh and it will germinate and starts growing vigorously. The ice cream bean seeds don't remain viable for long after the pod is opened. If you want to preserve them for more than a couple of days, they should be stored mixed with soil or moss in a plastic bag. Sometimes they start to germinate as they are still inside the pods and will need shade and a lot of humidity to grow well initially. Despite its size in the wild, the ice cream bean tree can grow inside a container. It will be smaller though, with a lower number of pods. Potassium additives can be helpful but nitrogen fertilizers are not needed. It is possible to prune it to manage the size, but leave a few branches intact and don't cut too much of the crown. Like many rainforest trees, it doesn't tolerate either frost or drought. It grows well with bananas and passion fruits and has a life cycle of around 30 years in cultivation.
The ice cream bean fruit pods mature during the summer, the perfect time to harvest them. Since the seeds germinate readily when they fall to the ground, the tree can easily spread and become an invasive species. This is why you should be careful to collect any pods that fall from the tree and either consume them or throw them away.
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