Pirangi Cashew Tree

The tree was planted around 1888 and carries two genetic mutations that between them produce the effect: branches grow outward rather than upward, and where they touch the ground they root and send up new growth, so what looks like a small wood is one organism with one root system. It now covers something over eight thousand square metres, and it produces tens of thousands of cashews a season. A raised walkway runs through it with a platform, and guides explain the mechanism. It has been billed as the largest cashew tree in the world and held that listing for years, though a larger specimen has since been reported elsewhere in the north-east - a detail the local signage tends not to include.

What you actually see

• One tree that looks like a wood - a single root system across the whole spread.
• Branches rooting where they touch - the mutation that drives the growth.
• Over eight thousand square metres - the area covered by the canopy.
• A raised walkway - the path and platform cut through the middle.

When to go

All year. An hour.

Honest expectations

The visit is short and the site is small - it works as a stop rather than a destination. Souvenir selling around it is heavy. The record claim is contested. Shade inside is good, which is the one comfort on this coast.

Nearby

Pirangi beach is alongside; Pipa is south and Natal is north.