Identify these grown(?) hollow "stones" I bought in China?
November 9, 2013 2:48 PM   Subscribe

Bought these cream & brown hollow "pebbles" at a Beijing market a few years ago. I think they are grown, because each has a hole, like it was picked from a tree maybe. They are extremely lightweight but have a hard exterior. The lady who sold them to me cautioned they would break if dropped. I'm going back to China soon and would like to buy more, if I know what to ask for.

To my untrained eye the striations appear natural and each one seems unique. I bought around 20-25 to fill a glass jar as decoration and they were very inexpensive.
posted by MuckWeh to Science & Nature (3 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Tagua nuts?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytelephas

However, I have no idea how to ask for them in China.
posted by little cow make small moo at 2:54 PM on November 9, 2013


Can you take one with you when you go back to show market vendors?
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 4:14 PM on November 9, 2013


Best answer: They're called corozo nuts, or 象牙果 (Xiàngyá guǒ) in Chinese.
posted by bradf at 4:29 PM on November 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


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