On a stretch of coastline in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a single cashew tree has grown so large that visitors need an elevated walkway just to take in its full shape. Known locally as the Cajueiro de Pirangi, or in Portuguese as the Maior Cajueiro do Mundo, the tree covers roughly 8,500 square metres, an area equivalent to about 70 ordinary cashew trees, despite technically remaining one single, continuously connected plant. Recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest cashew tree on Earth, the tree still produces a genuine harvest each year, yielding up to 2.5 tonnes of cashew fruit, or somewhere around 60,000 to 80,000 individual cashews, depending on the season. More than just a botanical oddity, the Pirangi tree stands as a living reminder of how a single unusual genetic trait can quietly reshape an entire landscape, drawing communities, economies and generations of curious visitors together around its sprawling canopy.
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