Family: Fabaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Inga feuilleei, commonly known as pacae or ice cream bean, is a fast-growing tropical tree native to Ecuador. It produces long, thick pods filled with a sweet, cottony pulp that is commonly eaten fresh and appreciated for its mild, vanilla-like flavor. The tree has a broad, spreading canopy with feathery, compound leaves, making it well suited for providing shade. It is widely used in agroforestry systems, particularly in coffee and cacao plantations, where it serves as a shade tree while also improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Additionally, it is used for reforestation, erosion control, and as a windbreak in tropical regions.

Risks & Threats
Although Inga feuilleei is not currently known to be naturalized in Hawaii, it does possess traits that are cause for concern. Its rapid growth, nitrogen-fixing ability, and tolerance of tropical conditions increase its potential to spread beyond cultivation. Related Inga species have demonstrated the ability to form dense stands that can outcompete native plants and alter soil nutrient cycles. Because of these characteristics, caution is recommended to ensure that this species does not negatively impact Hawaii’s ecosystems. Ongoing evaluation is needed to determine if it could become invasive and pose a risk to the State.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized on Hawaii island
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Broad elevation range (cultivated from 40-2800 m in South America)
  
• Tolerates many soil conditions (and potentially able to exploit many different habitat types)
  
• Seeds dispersed by birds, mammals and people
  
• Able to coppice and resprout after cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• Despite ability to spread, no negative impacts have been documented to date
  
• Unarmed
  
• Fodder tree
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Prized for the sweet edible aril that surrounds the naked, fleshy seeds
  
• Landscaping and ornamental value
  
• Shade-intolerant
  
• Self-incompatible
  
• Will not spread vegetatively
  
• Sees lose viability quickly and trees will therefore not form a seed bank