Pouteria caimito
(Ruiz & Pav.) Radlk.
Abiu, Caimito
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Kernel, Nuts
The fully ripe fruit has a delicious flavour and is eaten raw or used in sherbets and ice cream. It works particularly well in fruit salads, especially alongside orange slices to add acidity. The fruit is a lovely bright yellow with whitish, translucent, jelly-like flesh and a sweetish flavour somewhat like rambutan. It reaches up to 10cm in diameter. Fruit that is not fully ripe may contain a milky latex that sticks to the lips. The skin is thin and bruises easily, meaning the fruit keeps for only a few days.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It suits the hot, wet tropical lowlands. It needs a warm climate and year round moisture. It is a tropical plant, but will grow in subtropical places. It enjoys wet soil. It grows naturally in the Amazon and Andes. It grows to 1200 m in the Andes. It cannot tolerate frost. It suits hardiness zones 10-11.
Amazon, Andes, Asia, Australia, Bolivia*, Brazil*, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador*, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Hawaii, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pacific, Panama, Peru*, SE Asia, South America, Suriname, Trinidad, USA, Venezuela,
How to Identify
A medium sized tree. It grows 10-15 m high but can be 40 m high. The trunk is 30 cm across. The tree branches at about 1 m high. The leaves are simple and alternate. The flowers occur singly or in small groups. They are usually on leafless twigs. The fruit is medium to large and is oval with a smooth skin. It is yellow and sweet. It is usually 5-10 cm across. It has a sweet translucent pulp. Unripe fruit contain a gummy latex. There are several named cultivated varieties. There are 1-4 seeds. These are brown and shiny.
Nutrition Score: 47/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 74.1 | 397 | 95 | 2.1 | — | 49 | 1.8 | — |
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate easily. Seedling trees vary in quality. Grafting and air-layering can also be used. Fresh seed are planted and germinate in 4-6 weeks. Some trees are self fertile and others need cross pollinating.
Propagation: Remove the seed from its husk before sowing. Best sown as soon as it is ripe in a semi-shaded nursery seedbed. Fresh seed typically germinates in 4–6 weeks with a reasonable germination rate. Propagation is also possible by side-grafting and potentially by air-layering.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
The wood is heavy, hard, straight-grained, and medium-textured. It is moderately resistant to insect attack and moderately durable, used for construction and external work.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Pouteria caimito, the abiu (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈbiw]), is a tropical fruit tree in the family Sapotaceae. It grows in the Amazonian region of South America, and this type of fruit can also be found in Cuba, the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia. It grows to an average of 10 metres (33 feet) high, with ovoid fruits. The inside of the fruit is translucent and white. It has a creamy and jelly-like texture with a taste resembling caramel custard.†
Production
Trees will produce fruit after 7-10 years from seeds and after 3 years from grafts. Mature trees can produce 100-1000 fruit per year. Fruit mature in about 180 days.
Other Information
It is a cultivated food plant. Fruit are sold in local markets.
Notes
There are about 150-320 Pouteria species. They grow in the tropics.
Names & Synonyms
Aakuna, Abiero, Aguaycillo, Asepokoballi, Aviyu, Caimitillo, Caimito, Caimo, Cauje, Caymito, Coloradillo de la bajura, Ingi-oedoe, Luma, Pasu, Pepeboiti, Putumayu aviyu, Sijica, Tarpu aviyu, Temare, Yaas, Yellow star apple
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