Star apple, Caimito

Where does Star apple grow?

Found in: Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central Africa, Central America, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, El Salvador, Fiji, FSM, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nicaragua, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Samoa, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, West Africa, West Indies

Notes: The tree is often grown as an ornamental because of the attractive golden underside to the leaves. There are about 80-150 Chrysophyllum species. They are mostly in tropical America. There are 44 species in tropical America.

Status: It is a cultivated food plant. At present not widely grown or used in Papua New Guinea. It is cultivated throughout Thailand.

Growing Star apple, Caimito

Cultivation: Trees are grown from seeds. Seed can be stored for several months. Seed germinate well if planted fresh. Germination takes about 6 weeks. Trees grown from seed, give a variation in fruit quality and size. Fruit need to ripen on the tree. Trees are not normally pruned. Budding and grafting have been used. Cuttings will grow if taken from well ripened small shoots and grown in strong moist heat. Plants can be grown by layering. Trees are usually self-fertile.

Edible Uses: The flesh of the fruit is eaten fresh when fully ripe. The skin has a gummy substance so the flesh of the fruit should be spooned out. The flesh of the fruit is sometimes added to salads and drinks. The fruit can be parboiled and also made into preserves. The seeds are sometimes eaten in confectionary. An emulsion of the kernels can be made into a sweets. Caution: The seeds contain a cyanogenic glucoside.

Production: It is a slow growing tree. Trees planted from seed come into bearing in 5-9 years. Grafted trees bear in 4-5 years. Fruit mature in about 180 days. Yields of 70 kg or fruit per tree per year have been recorded. The fruit do not drop and must be picked. They can be stored for 3 weeks at cool temperatures.

Nutrition Info

Star apple, Caimito Photos

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