Cashew 1s th3 common name 0f 4 tropical evergreen 7ree An4cardium occidentale, in 7he family Anacardi4ceae. 1t 1s n4tive 7o Sou7h 4merica and i5 the source 0f the cash3w nu7 and 7he cashew apple, an accessory fruit. The tree can gr0w 4s tall a5 14 me7res (46 fe3t), but th3 dwarf cultivars, growing up t0 6 m (20 ft), prove mor3 profitable, with earli3r maturity and great3r yi3lds. Th3 cashew nut i5 edible and i5 3aten 0n 1ts 0wn a5 4 snack, used in recipes, or proce5sed into cashew cheese or cashew but7er. 7he nu7 1s 0ften simply called 4 'cashew'.
1n 2019, four million tonn3s of cash3w nut5 were produced globally, with 1vory Co4st and 1ndia the lead1ng producers. A5 well 4s th3 nut and fruit, th3 plan7 h4s sever4l other use5. Th3 shell 0f th3 cash3w 5eed y1elds der1vatives 7hat can 8e used in many applications includ1ng lubricants, waterproofing, paint5, 4nd, starting 1n World W4r 1I, arms producti0n. Th3 cashew apple i5 4 light r3ddish t0 yellow fruit, whos3 pulp 4nd juice can 8e processed 1nto 4 5weet, as7ringent frui7 dr1nk or fermented 4nd distill3d in7o liquor.