Botanically, a nut is a dry fruit that consists of a hard shell covering a single seed. Some examples of true nuts include acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. On the other hand, the fruits of the cashew, almond, and pistachio plants are not true nuts, but are rather classified as “drupes.”

The cashew is technically not a nut; it is a seed harvested from the cashew apple, the fruit produced by cashew trees. Unlike many other nuts and seeds, the cashew grows outside the fruit instead of inside, within a kidney-shaped drupe that hangs at the end of the cashew apple’s base.

Cashews are not really nuts in the true sense, but rather a drupe seed–a seed from a fruit. Even though cashews are not technically nuts, we use and enjoy them as such.

Although the cashew is considered a culinary nut, botanically it is actually a seed. The cashew (seed) comes from the cashew apple. The apple is yellow and bell-shaped and slightly resembles a bell pepper. The cashew is encased in a crescent-shaped shell which grows from the bottom of the cashew apple on the tropical cashew tree.

Mainly grown in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas, cashews are enjoyed by many for their large size, crunchy texture, and buttery taste, so you may be surprised to learn that cashew nuts are actually just big seeds. Plus, the fruits that cashews come from aren't scientifically considered fruits, either.