Tagua: vegetable ivory  
 
A very special plant known as “tagua” (Phytelephas seemannii,  Phytelephas macrocarpa) or vegetable ivory grows in the thick tropical  rainforests of Colombia. This unattractive looking thorny palm has an  average height of five to six meters and takes 15 years to begin to bear  fruit. From then on, the plant yields three harvests per year.
The Tagua Nut
In its natural state, the tagua is similar to a nut called “mococha”  and is full of seeds. It is hard, smooth, opaque, and bone-colored, and  its texture resembles ivory. The nut requires between 6 and 12 months to  ripen, during which the seed becomes harder, acquires its final  thickness, and its color changes from white to light ochre. The ripe nut  measures between three and six cm in length.
Characteristics of the Tagua Nut
The features that identify the quality of this vegetable raw material  and make it such an esteemed product are its hardness and the  similarity of its color to animal ivory.
Tagua: uses and products
The tagua began to be exploited in colonial times when the Spanish  settled on the American continent. Since the very first contact of the  foreigners with the plant, the tagua nut was used for making buttons,  umbrella and walking stick handles, napkin holders, combs, chess pieces,  piano keys, letter openers, and other utensils.
Centuries later, the invention of plastics did away with the  popularity of tagua. And high quality items began to be made from animal  ivory.
Let’s save the elephants by using tagua!
Thanks to the cries of ecologists, in recent years natural materials  begin to assert themselves again over artificial materials, and the  tagua of Colombian rainforests turns out to be the salvation of  elephants.
Present world trends to conserve the environment and the prohibition  of hunting elephants and rhinoceroses for their ivory forced great  European and North American designers like Christian Dior, Yves Saint  Laurent, and Versace to turn to natural materials for their collections.  This is why the tagua has ceased to be a humble palm tree to become a  valuable product in world markets.
Tagua handicrafts in Colombia
Tagua is similar to animal ivory because of  its hardness and color
Colombian artisans are experts in the manufacture of veritable  jewels. The greatest tagua artists come from Chiquinquirá, a city famous  for its cathedral and miraculous virgin, located three hours from  Bogotá, in the department of Boyacá. The Chiquinquirá artists specialize  in decorative miniatures (chess pieces, nativity scene figurines),  several of which are in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Nowadays, Colombian artists use this material for making all kinds of  decorative items: bracelets, picture frames, letter openers, figurines,  and accessories like earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that attract  the attention of women from around the world.   (from 
www.colombia.travel/en/)  
Want to learn more about Tagua and other of Colombia's natural materials used in making beautiful personal and home accessories?  
This is a great article from the Office of Tourism.  
Tagua: an elegant, natural seed