Antidesma bunius
(L.) Sprengel
Chinese laurel, Bignay, Currant Tree, Buni
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(c) Chen Shu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chen Shu
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves, Spice
Edible Parts: Fruit Leaves Edible Uses: Edible portion: Fruit, Leaves, Spice/flavoring. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and used in jellies, preserves etc. When fully ripe, the thin but tough-skinned fruit is juicy and slightly sweet. The fruit is likened by some people to cranberries and is eaten mainly by children. The round fruit is up to 8mm in diameter with a relatively large seed, it is used mainly for jams and jellies, though it needs extra pectin added for it to jell properly. The fruit is carried in redcurrant-like clusters of 20 - 40 near the shoot tips. Some tasters detect a bitter or unpleasant aftertaste, unnoticeable to others. If the extracted bignay juice is kept under refrigeration for a day or so, there is settling of a somewhat astringent sediment, which can be discarded, thus improving the flavour. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or steamed and used as a side dish with rice. A slightly sour flavour, the leaves turn brown when cooked but retain their texture well. They can be cooked with other foods in order to impart their sour flavour.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It can probably grow up to 1000 m altitude in the tropics. In Indonesia it grows between 50-1,400 m above sea level. It can stand light frost. They can grow on a variety of soils. They are common and widely distributed in open places and secondary forest throughout the Philippines. It can tolerate salt. It suits the humid tropical lowlands. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.
Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia*, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, USA, Vietnam, West Indies,
How to Identify
A small bushy tree. It is often 3-6 m tall. It can be up to 15-30 metres high. The leaves tend to be long and narrow and shiny. They are dark green. They are pointed at the tip and more rounded at the base. The leaves are 10-15 cm long by 5-7 cm wide. The male and female flowers are separate, on separate trees. Female flowers producing fruit are on the ends of branches. A spike of dark reddish black berries is produced. The berries are about 1 cm across and have one seed inside. They hang in a large cluster. There are 20-50 in a cluster.
Nutrition Score: 38/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 81.7 | 281 | 67 | 0.7 | 31 | 69 | 0.9 | — |
| Leaves | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
It grows from seeds. These can be planted, but trees also grow naturally from seed. Trees can be produced by budding, grafting or from cuttings. Aerial layering can also be used. Spacing should be about 12 to 14 metres between trees. Some male trees need to be present for cross pollination. When female trees produce fruit without male trees, the seed from these fruit normally will not germinate.
Propagation: Seed - Whenever the seeds are used, they need about one month of after-ripening and can then be sown under shade without pre-treatment. Fresh seeds need pre-treatment with sulphuric acid for 15 min followed by soaking in water for 24 hours. The viability is about 3 - 70%. Depulped and dried fruits of A.bunius may be stored for 2 - 5 years in airtight containers without a serious decrease in seed viability. Vegetative propagation is preferred because seedlings are of uncertain sex and they do not commence cropping for a number of years. Greenwood cuttings. Air layering. Plants can begin producing when three years old. Grafting.
Medicinal Uses
Tonic The leaves are sudorific and employed in treating snakebite in Asia. The leaves and roots are used as medicine for traumatic injury.
Other Uses
Fibre Paper Pioneer Shelterbelt String Wood Other uses rating: Medium (3/5). Screening, Windbreaks, Public Open Space, Small Street Tree, Backyard Tree. Agroforestry Uses: A natural pioneer species, often common in the early stages of secondary forest succession and also invading marginal grassland. The tree has occasionally been employed in reforestation projects. This species seems to be an excellent choice as a pioneer for establishing a woodland, preferably used within its native range because of its tendency to invade habitats. Other Uses The bark yields a strong fibre for rope and cordage. The timber has been experimentally pulped for making cardboard. The timber is reddish and hard. If soaked in water, it becomes heavy and hard. Valued for general building, even though it is not very durable in contact with the soil and is also subject to attacks from termites. Special Uses Food Forest
Wikipedia
Source ↗Antidesma bunius is a species of fruit tree in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and northern Australia. It is commonly known as bignay, after its native name in the Philippines, where the fruits are commonly used for making bignay wine and jams. It is also known more ambiguously as Chinese laurel, Queensland cherry, salamander tree, wild cherry, and currant tree.
Production
Seedling trees fruit 4-5 years after planting. The fruiting season lasts a couple of months. In India plants flower and fruit April to August.
Other Information
It is a cultivated food plant. The fruit are sold in markets. This in only a minor edible fruit of lowland tropical areas. It is important in Indonesia and occasional in Papua New Guinea. The fruit are especially eaten by children.
Notes
There are about 100-170 Antidesma species.
Names & Synonyms
Amati, Anepu, Ariyaporiyan, Banshial buka, Bashial buka, Bignai, Bol-aborak, Bor-heloch, Bugnay, Buneh, Dieng-soh-silli, Herbert River cherry, Himalchari, Himalcheri, Huni, Karanda, Kantjer, Karawala keballa, Karikoomma, Kinbalin, Kunchur-kung, Kywe-pyisin, Malung renu, Malunga, Nayikoote, Nolaiali, Noolitali, Pani heloch, Pohon buni, Salamander tree, Somkongasing, Sonkong esing, Wuni
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