Dried Raw Cashew Nuts

Cashew trees grow only in regions with consistently high temperatures, typically between 24 and 28°C (69.8–82.4°F). The trees cannot be grown in frost prone areas as they will be killed by the low temperatures. Cashew will grow optimally in deep, well-draining soils with a pH between 4.2 and 8.7.

 The trees have the ability to grow in sandy soils where other fruit trees will not survive. In cooler areas, they can be grown in containers and moved indoors in winter to prevent damage to the plant. The tree produces numerous pinkish-white flowers on drooping panicles and a kidney shaped true fruit (nut) which is approximately 3 cm (1.2 in) long with a gray-brown shell and develops from a fleshy accessory fruit, sometimes referred to as the 'cashew apple 

The cashew apple is pear shaped and red to yellow in color. Cashew trees can reach a height of 12 m (39.4 ft.) Young trees do not produce high yields of cashews and the yield increases as the trees mature. Do not attempt to break open the seed of the cashew nut immediately following harvest as the seed contains toxic oil. This oil causes an itchy rash of the skin and painful blisters in the mouth if eaten. Instead, the nuts should be dried for several days and then roasted before being cracked open.