Vegetable ivory

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Vegetable ivory, also known as corozo, is a name used for the tagua nut in the South American rainforest. When dried out, it can be carved as an ivory replica. Humanitarians and environmentalists can both appreciate it because its use stimulates the economies in South America, provides an alternative to cutting down rainforest for farming, and prevents elephants from being killed for their tusks.

The ivory-nut palm, Phytelephas aequatorialis, is one plant that can be harvested for vegetable ivory. It is often used for beads, buttons, and jewelry, and can be dyed. Phytelephas macrocarpa, another species in the Phytelephas genus, is also used for this purpose. More recently, palm ivory has been used to make bagpipes.