Argania spinosa

Medium-sized tree cultivated in North Africa. The seeds yield an oil used for cooking. The leaves and fruit are a valuable feed for stock. The meaty part of the fruit, containing 10% protein and 7% fibre (dry matter basis), surrounds the hard brown nut. The small seeds are crushed and worked into a paste and the oil is pressed out. 

USE. The greyish-green oilcake contains saponin, which does not harm ruminants and passes out with the urine, however, when given to dairy cattle, the milk will contain some saponin, which may cause diarrhoea in children. Up to 2 kg per day can be fed to beef cattle without harm.