Tonka Bean Tree (Noun)
Meaning
Tall tropical South American tree having pulpy egg-shaped pods of fragrant black almond-shaped seeds used for flavoring.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The Tonka bean tree is cultivated for its seeds which are used as a spice and to flavor sweets, perfumes and other products.
- Tonka bean trees typically grow best in moist environments with plenty of indirect sunlight like those found in tropical rainforests.
- Kahlúa and some other products containing tonka beans have been restricted or banned in certain countries due to potential health risks associated with tonka bean coumarin content.
- The unique fragrance of the Tonka bean seed comes from a naturally occurring compound within the seed, coumarin, also found in bittersweet almond oil.
- The Tonka bean tree has become naturalized in many tropical regions and can now be commonly found in places outside its native range such as parts of the Caribbean and the southern U.S.