Cashews grow on the bottom of a fruit called the cashew apple

Most people are surprised to learn that cashews do not grow like other nuts. Instead of being enclosed in a shell within a fruit, cashews hang bizarrely from the bottom of a fleshy, pear-shaped structure called the cashew apple. Botanically speaking, the cashew is not even a true nut—it is a seed. The cashew tree produces two distinct products simultaneously: the cashew apple (technically an accessory fruit or pseudofruit) and the cashew nut (the seed of the true fruit). The cashew apple develops first as a swollen, colorful peduncle that ranges from yellow to bright red. Once it reaches full size, the true fruit emerges from its tip—a kidney-shaped drupe containing the cashew seed. This drupe hangs downward, creating the distinctive appearance of a cashew nut dangling beneath a juicy fruit. The cashew apple itself is edible and widely consumed in tropical regions where cashews grow, including Brazil, India, and Vietnam. It has a delicate, sweet-tart flavor and is used to make juices, jams, and even alcoholic beverages. However, extracting the cashew seed is challenging because the shell contains anacardic acid—a toxic resin related to poison ivy that can cause severe skin irritation. This is why cashews are always sold shelled and why raw cashews are actually steamed to neutralize the toxins. Next time you enjoy cashews, remember you are eating a seed that defied conventional fruit anatomy to become one of the world's most popular snacks.