Pongamia trees grow where citrus once flourished, offering renewable energy and plant-based protein
An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy as a petroleum-alternative. (AP Video: Daniel Kozin)
Young pongamia trees grow in a grove in St. Lucie County, Fla., Thursday, June 6, 2024. The ancient tree, native to India, Southeast Asia and Australia, is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida. The tree produces a legume that can be processed into plant-based protein and sustainable biofuel. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Young pongamia trees grow in a grove in St. Lucie County, Fla., Thursday, June 6, 2024. The ancient tree, native to India, Southeast Asia and Australia, is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida. The tree produces a legume that can be processed into plant-based protein and sustainable biofuel. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Terviva’s John Young, left, and Ron Edwards walk in a grove of pongamia trees, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in St. Lucie County, Fla. Terviva, a San Francisco-based company founded in 2010, has patented a process to remove the biopesticides from the pongamia tree legume that cause a bitter taste, making the bean suitable for food production. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
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