Family: Fabaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Inga edulis, commonly known as ice cream bean, is a fast-growing tropical tree native to parts of Central and South America, including the Amazon Basin. It is valued for its long, green seed pods filled with a sweet, fluffy pulp that tastes somewhat like vanilla ice cream, making it popular as a fresh snack. The tree typically has a broad, spreading canopy and feathery, compound leaves, and it produces attractive white, brush-like flowers. Inga edulis is widely planted in agroforestry systems, where it is used for shade (especially in coffee and cacao plantations), soil improvement through nitrogen fixation, erosion control, and as a source of food and firewood.

Risks & Threats
Although Inga edulis is not currently known to be naturalized in Hawaiʻi, it does possess traits that are cause for concern. Its rapid growth, ability to fix nitrogen, and tolerance of a range of environmental conditions could allow it to establish and spread in suitable habitats. These characteristics may enable it to outcompete native vegetation, alter soil chemistry, and form dense stands that reduce biodiversity. Because of these potential risks, continued evaluation is needed to determine whether this species could negatively impact Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems. Caution is recommended when planting or distributing this species to help prevent unintended ecological consequences.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability (tropical to subtropical; 0–2,200 m elevation)
  
• Naturalized beyond native range (e.g., Australia, Costa Rica)
  
• Introduced repeatedly outside native range
  
• Nitrogen-fixing (can alter soil nutrients)
  
• Tolerates wide range of soils (including acidic, infertile, waterlogged)
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Seeds dispersed by birds and mammals (including gut passage)
  
• Seeds intentionally dispersed by people
  
• Coppices and regenerates rapidly (tolerates mutilation)

Low Risk Traits:

• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Not toxic to animals or humans
  
• No major pest/pathogen problems
  
• Self-incompatible (requires cross-pollination)
  
• No prolific seed production
  
• No persistent seed bank (recalcitrant seeds, short viability)
  
• Not wind-dispersed; seeds large, not likely to be contaminants
  
• Not reported as an environmental or agricultural weed (low priority in NSW)