Cola acuminata
Kola Nuts
In the 1800s a Georgia pharmacist named John Pemberton mixed kola with cocoa, sugar and other ingredients to create the first cola soft drink.
His accountant called it coca-cola. Today it seems cola is no longer used in the typical recipe for the making of coca-cola.
Kola is a caffeine-containing nut which is known for its bitter flavor. It grows on an evergreen tree typically to around 65 feet high and the tree produces purple-spotted yellow flowers with star-shaped fruit.
The seeds which are the edible nut, are square and contained within a white shell. The nut is said to have a rose-like aroma and is chewed and enjoyed by many.
Native to the tropical rainforests in Africa, kola has long been held in high regard and sometimes even a sacred object by many Africans. Kola has long been used in traditional spiritual practices in Western Africa.