Kola nut
Caffeine-containing seed used in cola drinks and West African ceremonies.
The kola nut is the seed of trees in the genus *Cola*, which were once grouped with cocoa in the Sterculiaceae family but are now typically placed in the mallow family Malvaceae (under the subfamily Sterculioideae). These evergreen trees are native to Africa’s tropical rainforests. The seeds contain caffeine and are used to flavor carbonated soft drinks; the term “cola” for such beverages comes from this ingredient.
Typically 2–5 cm in length and about 2–3 cm wide, the nut comes mainly from *Cola acuminata* and *Cola nitida*. *Cola acuminata* grows to roughly 20 meters tall, with long, leathery, oval leaves that taper at both ends. Its cream-white flowers have purplish-brown streaks, and its star-shaped fruit typically holds five follicles. Each follicle contains about a dozen prismatic seeds inside a white shell. The nut’s cotyledons are typically white, pink, or red. It contains caffeine (2–3.5%) and theobromine (1.0–2.5%), along with tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids. Further chemical analysis reveals caffeine (2–3.5%), theobromine (1.0–2.5%), theophylline, methylliberine, polyphenols, catechins, and phlobaphens (kola red).
Originally a rainforest tree, the kola nut thrives in hot, humid climates but can tolerate a dry season if groundwater is high. It can be grown in drier areas with accessible groundwater. *C. nitida* tolerates shade but produces more fruit in open spaces with a spreading crown. Though a lowland forest tree, it has been found above 300 meters on deep, rich soils with heavy, even rainfall. Regular weeding—manual or with herbicides—is needed. Irrigation helps, but good drainage is essential since excess water harms growth. Fertilizers are effective when shade is insufficient, and windbreaks protect against strong winds. Nuts are harvested by hand or machine, plucked from branches. Nigeria produces 52.4% of the world’s supply, followed by Ivory Coast and Cameroon. Stored in a cool, dry place, kola nuts last a long time. The crop is a key indigenous cash crop in West Africa and a means of social mobility.
Pests include the kola weevil *Balanogastris kolae* and larvae of the moth *Characoma strictigrapta*, which also attacks cacao and bores into nuts. Traders sometimes apply bark extract from *Rauvolfia vomitoria* or powdered fruits of *Xylopia* and *Capsicum* to protect nursery plants. The cacao pest *Sahlbergella* spp. also u
- species
- Cola acuminata and Cola nitida
- height
- About 20 meters (Cola acuminata)
- nut_size
- 2–5 cm in length, 2–3 cm in width
- caffeine_content
- 2–3.5%
- theobromine_content
- 1.0–2.5%
- native_region
- Tropical rainforests of Africa
- major_producer
- Nigeria (55% of world production in 2022)
Lore & Background
The kola nut is the seed of evergreen trees of the genus Cola, primarily Cola acuminata and Cola nitida. Cola acuminata is an evergreen tree about 20 meters in height, with long, ovoid leaves pointed at both ends and a leathery texture. The trees have cream-white flowers with purplish-brown striations and star-shaped fruit consisting of usually five follicles. Inside each follicle, about a dozen prismatic seeds develop in a white seed-shell. The nut's cotyledons are typically white, pink, or red. Kola nuts contain caffeine (2–3.5%) and theobromine (1.0–2.5%), as well as tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids.
Reader's Guide
The kola nut has ancient origins in human use, similar to the coffee berry and tea leaf. Its spread across North Africa appears connected to the spread of Islam across West Africa during the 17th century, as trading across the Mediterranean became established. The nut was a major commodity in 19th-century intra-African trade, imported from the Asante Empire by large caravans heading to inland markets such as Kano of the Sokoto Caliphate, where primary consumers were aristocrats and scholars. In Western culture, kola nuts are best known as a flavoring ingredient and one of the sources of caffeine in cola and other similarly flavored beverages, although kola nut extract is no longer claimed on the labels of major commercial cola drinks such as Coca-Cola. The nut is also used in folk medicine, considered useful for aiding digestion when ground and mixed with honey, and as a remedy for coughs. In West Africa, the kola nut remains an important part of traditional spiritual practice, culture, and religion, particularly in Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Liberia.
Did You Know?
- The kola nut was used on slave ships to improve the taste of poor-quality water given to enslaved Africans.
- In 2022, world production of kola nuts was 315,024 tonnes, led by Nigeria with 55% of the total.
- The kola nut is subject to attack by the kola weevil Balanogastris kolae and the larvae of the moth Characoma strictigrapta.
- The kola nut ceremony is described in Chinua Achebe's 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, where the saying 'He who brings kola brings life' appears.
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