Vitellaria

Common card · No. 307881

Vitellaria paradoxa (formerly Butyrospermum parkii), commonly known as shea tree, shi tree (, also ), or vitellaria, is a tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is the only species in the genus Vitellaria, and is indigenous to Africa. The shea fruit consists of a thin, tart, nutritious pulp that surrounds a relatively large, oil-rich seed from which shea butter is extracted. It is a deciduous tree usually 7–15 m (23–49 ft) tall, but has reached 25 m (82 ft) and a trunk diameter of 2 m (6.6 ft). The shea tree is a traditional African food plant. It has been said to have potential to improve nutrition, boost food supply in the "annual hungry season", foster rural development, and support sustainable land care.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Marco Schmidt[1], CC BY-SA 3.0