Moreton Bay Chestnut (Castanospermum australe): Black Bean Tree

Moreton Bay chestnut, or black bean tree, is a large evergreen rainforest tree native to eastern Australia, with showy red-yellow flowers and large pods containing toxic seeds that require extensive processing.

Botanical Profile

Description and Features

This tree grows 50–100 feet tall with a dense, glossy canopy. Leaves are pinnate, dark green. Flowers are red and yellow, pea-like, in racemes on old wood. Pods are large, cylindrical, brown, containing 3–5 large, shiny seeds (beans).

Cultivation and Uses

Moreton Bay chestnut prefers subtropical to tropical climates, moist, well-drained soil. It is grown as an ornamental for its foliage and flowers. The seeds are toxic raw but can be rendered edible by prolonged leaching and cooking; used by Aboriginal people. Wood is used for cabinetry.

Warning

Raw seeds are poisonous; do not eat.