Areca palm

Kun-ya – pieces of areca nut wrapped in a betel leaf – is chewed by millions in Myanmar, and red stains mark city pavements.

A slender palm growing to 20 m, with a straight grey trunk ringed with clear scars from fallen leaves and a small crown of pinnate leaves. The inflorescences develop below the crown, and the female flowers give rise to bunches of plum-sized fruits that ripen orange or red. The hard seed, known as the areca nut, contains the stimulant alkaloid arecoline. Chewing the nut regularly stains the teeth red and, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, raises the risk of mouth cancer.

Significance in the country

Chewing kun-ya – areca nut with lime and spices wrapped in a betel leaf – is one of the most widespread customs in Myanmar; kun-ya stalls stand on almost every street. In the past, ornate betel boxes at the royal court were a mark of rank and were part of the royal regalia.

Where it grows

Plantations in the humid coastal regions – in Tanintharyi, Mon State, the Irrawaddy delta, Rakhine and the Bago region.

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