Camachile / Guamachil /Manila Tamarind
Camachile (Pithecellobium dulce) is a common thorny tropical American tree that originated from Mexico and other Central and South American countries where it is known as Guamachil (an American Indian (Mayan not feather or dot) word that is the root word for the local name Camachile). 
It was introduced to the Philippines during the Spanish times and has spread throughout the Pacific (Guam, Micronesia, Hawaii, etc.). It was also introduced to Thailand and onto India where it is known as Manila Tamarind. A very common provincial tree, I associate camachile with drives through Tarlac, Pampanga and Pangasinan in the 1970’s on the way to Baguio and the Mt. Provinces. The trees lined the highways (if you could call the two lane roads that) and vendors used to sell the fruit from right under the shade of the trees. Sometimes the fruit was packed in bags that were hung from nails on the trunks of the hardy trees. I passed by these same roads just last year during the summer and the same trees and lots of vendors were still at it as they have been for the last 40+ years!
The camachile fruit or pods contain a white acidic and sweetish pulp that is eaten raw. I was never a great fan of the fruit but I know others who are so I took a picture of them at the market recently and decided to do this post. The fruit is apparently devoured by livestock in other countries as well as by humans. The bark, sap and fruit of the tree have several medicinal or astringent uses which include treatments for venereal disease(!?), tanning leather hides (!?) and making fish poison (!?) according to the Purdue University website on different plant species and Doreen Fernandez’s book on Philippine Fruit. Talk about varied uses! They are at the height of the season right now and are abundant in the wet markets in Manila if you don’t happen to live near a fruit bearing tree.
As a child, I remember eating a lot of camachile during visits to the province. The best of them were sweet, and we’d peel the black seeds to reveal a brown coating (not the white ‘main’ seed inside, so it was very tricky) and then we’d string them into bracelets! Today we have a huge camachile tree by our gate which provides great shade but sheds leaves by the thousands, it’s an endless chore to sweep the yard. And it has grown so tall that the fruits mainly feed the birds. Its branches are weak and hollow as well that very strong winds tend to send them falling on the road.
Camachile is also prescribed for diabetics.
May 14th, 2005I like camachile too but I always take a careful look because I once almost ate a worm.
May 14th, 2005As for its “varied uses”, do you know that when we were grade schoolers, we’d spend so much time peeling the black part of the seeds so that only the brown part remains? The little girls believed that if you make a wish and are able to peel all the black part without tearing the brown part, your wish will come true. Ha ha! I was never able to do it.
our’s has a different version. if you peel all the black
May 14th, 2005without tearing the brown part and you throw the seed
in the plant clay pots it will turn into a 5 centavo
coin the next day, w/c never happen.
You could see a lot of camachile vendors along the road
going to Baguio. They are selling it at P20 per plastic
bag.
the things that you learn here. awesome info, marketman. i had completely forgotten what these things taste like, just that i’d had them as a kid. i think i’ll be on the lookout now for these at mexican markets here.
May 14th, 2005Damortis ang tawag namin at sabi nang mga matatanda sa amin na huwag daw kakain nang marami pag hindi ka pa tuli dahil mapuno yong helmet nang patutoy mo nang apog he he he,
May 15th, 2005Here’s something for the kids. Peel the black skin cover to expose the seed beneath. Split the seed in two along its seam and stick it under your eyes just beside the nose. It sticks to the skin like giant “muta” (mote).
April 11th, 2006is this fruit similar to the tamarind? same shape though. thanks…
March 1st, 2007In Nueva Ecija, Philippines, the cmachille pod is cooked as one the ingredients in an Ilocano dish called “inabrao”. It is truly a healthy fruit because it cures diabetes.
May 18th, 2007Can the plant be grown in the US? How do I get a plant or can I grow this from seed. Yes I used to peel the skin of the black seed as a kid, it was fun.
July 9th, 2007In Madurai(south Indian city) I first tasted this exotic fruit when I was in kindergarten. I had no idea that it belonged to the new world. One day a crow was flying holding this kodukapali(tamil language, meaning tamarind with a hook) I blindly shot my sling shot in the air and the crow dropped the fruit, which I later devoured. I still feel bad for the crow….Now fifty years later I am semi-retired in the Rio grande valley of Texas where the weather is sub-tropical and I see many tropical trees including guamachil. Today I stopped by an old house where an old mexican couple live and asked if I could take some seeds and I could pay for it. The old man said “If you try to pay me for this don’t ever come back”. He helped me dig up a young seedling next to the tree for free and I just planted in in my back yard with other fruit trees. As kids we also tried peeling the black skin without exposing the white kernel but in vain, those who suceeded buried in the ground and hoped a 5 rupee coin would emerge! What a beautiful time.
July 14th, 2007I remember this growing up from the Philippines. My grandmother (lola) would eat these all the time since it helps lower the blood sugar for someone who is diabetic.
March 19th, 2008Does the roots of camachile has some medicinal uses. If so for what sickness? How can i plant camachile in my backyard?
April 3rd, 2008