The ackee (Blighia sapida), also known as acki, akee, or ackee apple, is a fruit of the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family, as are the lychee and the longan. It is native to tropical West Africa.[2][4] The scientific name honours Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England, in 1793.[2] The English common name is derived from the West African Akan akye fufo.[5]
Although having a long-held reputation as being poisonous with potential fatalities,[6] the fruit arils are renowned as delicious when ripe, prepared properly, and cooked[7] and are a feature of various Caribbean cuisines.[2] Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and is considered a delicacy.[7]
Ackee is an evergreen tree that grows about 10 metres tall, with a short trunk and a dense crown.[2] The leaves are paripinnately,[8] compound 15–30 centimetres (5.9–11.8 in) long, with 6–10 elliptical to oblong leathery leaflets. Each leaflet is 8–12 centimetres (3.1–4.7 in) long and 5–8 centimetres (2.0–3.1 in) wide. The inflorescences are fragrant, up to 20 cm long, with unisexual flowers that bloom during warm months.[9] Each flower has five greenish-white petals, which are fragrant.[2][10]
The fruit is pear-shaped and has three lobes (two to four lobes are common).[11] When it ripens it turns from green to a bright red to yellow-orange and splits open to reveal three large, shiny black seeds, each partly surrounded by soft, creamy or spongy, white to yellow flesh — the aril having a nut-like flavor and texture of scrambled eggs.[2][8] The fruit typically weighs 100–200 grams (3.5–7.1 oz).[8] The tree can produce fruit throughout the year, although January–March and October–November are typically periods of fruit production.[11]
There are up to as many as forty-eight cultivars of ackee, which are grouped into either "butter" or "cheese" types.[12] The cheese type is pale yellow in color and is more robust and finds use in the canning industry. The butter type is deeper yellow in color, and is more delicate and better suited for certain cuisine.[12]
Imported to Jamaica from West Africa before 1773,[2][13] the use of ackee in Jamaican cuisine is prominent. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica,[7] whilst ackee and saltfish is the official national dish of Jamaica.[14]