The pili nut (Canarium ovatum) comes from a tropical tree native to the Philippines and parts of Southeast Asia. The nut has a distinctive teardrop shape and a rich, buttery taste that has been compared to a combination of almonds and sunflower seeds.
Pili nuts are eaten roasted, candied, or processed into oil and confectionery. They have a high oil content and a smooth texture. In the Philippines, particularly in the Bicol region, pili nut products are a local specialty and an important part of the regional economy. Internationally, pili nuts remain relatively obscure but have gained some attention in specialty food markets.
The pili tree also produces a resin used traditionally in the Philippines for boat caulking and torches, and the young shoots and fruit pulp are eaten as vegetables in some areas.
How it's produced
Pili trees grow in tropical lowland environments and are found both wild and in cultivated plantations, primarily in the Philippines. The trees are large and long-lived, beginning to bear fruit at around five to six years of age and continuing for decades. They thrive in volcanic soils with good drainage and consistent rainfall.
The fruit has a fleshy outer pulp surrounding a very hard shell that contains the edible kernel. Harvesting involves collecting fallen fruit or picking from the tree, then removing the pulp and cracking the extremely hard shell to extract the nut — a labour-intensive process that has limited large-scale commercial production. Efforts to mechanise shell cracking and expand plantation cultivation are ongoing in the Philippines.
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