Skip to content
EMI Agro Industries logo
Agro IndustriesShea Butter Manufacturer, Nigeria
Glossary

Vitellaria paradoxa

Also written as: shea tree, Butyrospermum parkii, karité, shea butter tree

Summary

Vitellaria paradoxa is the shea tree, a slow-growing species of the West African savannah belt whose kernels yield shea butter. Its former botanical name, Butyrospermum parkii, survives in the INCI ingredient name Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter.

Two subspecies are recognised: paradoxa across West Africa, Nigeria's shea, and nilotica in East Africa, which yields a softer butter. Trees take many years to bear, which is why supply is wild-collected. Buyers meet the old name on INCI labels and the new one in botanical literature — both names refer to the same species.

Wild Collection

Wild collection means shea nuts are gathered from naturally occurring

Grade A Shea Butter

Grade A shea butter is the top quality class for unrefined shea butter: low free fatty aci…

Shea Press Cake

Shea press cake is the solid residue left after shea kernels are mechanically pressed for…

Unsaponifiable Matter

Unsaponifiable matter is the fraction of a fat that does not form soap when boiled with al…

Full explainer: Complete Guide to Shea Butter

Master reference — grades, production, specifications, uses, sourcing, importing.

Part of the shea butter glossary · Complete guide to shea butter

Last reviewed September 2026 by EMI Agro Industries QC team.