Tu-lip, Melimjo, Spinach Joint fir

Where does Tu-lip grow?

Found in: Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bougainville, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Fiji, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Samoa, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Papua

Notes: In Slovenia presumably in a hot house. The nut contains, per 100 g edible portion, 30% moisture, 9-11% protein, 1.6-1.8% fat, 47.6-50.4% starch and 277 cal food energy. The young leaves containing, per 100 g, 71% moisture, 104 cal food energy, 7.4% protein, 2% fat, 19.4% total carbohydrates, 11.9% fibre, 44 mg calcium, 15 mg phosphorus, 1680 I.U. vitamin A and 121 mg vitamin C. There are about 28 Gnetum species. Demo

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. A particularly well liked edible green leaf occurring in almost all lowland areas of Papua New Guinea either cultivated or wild.Leaves are sold in local markets. Nuts are sold locally and internationally.

Growing Tu-lip, Melimjo, Spinach Joint fir

Cultivation: Trees are grown from seed. For using as seed for growing, a fully ripe red fruit is needed. Seeds exhibit a natural dormancy due to a hard impermeable seed coat. Breaking this seed coat can normally hasten germination. This is done by boring a hole into the seed. Propagation can be naturally by seeds distributed by birds, by planting seeds or by cuttings. A spacing of 6 m is suitable although in rows they are often put more closely. Trees appear to establish in the forest under-storey indicating some shade tolerance. Trees recover readily from pruning. Coppicing can produce a rapid flush of new leaves. Flushes of new leaves tends to occur seasonally. Trees can be topped to keep them shorter. If plants are grown by air layering they are shorter and more compact.

Edible Uses: Young leaf tips are eaten cooked. Young flowers are eaten, cooked. Young fruit are eaten, cooked. Ripe fruit are eaten raw or cooked. (Fruit should be crushed before cooking or they can explode.) Young flowers and fruit need cooking to get rid of irritating substances. The seeds are dried and flattened and then deep fried in hot oil and salt added.

Production: Trees grow by flushes of young reddish leaves. Flowers are produced throughout the year. Trees grown from seed take 5-8 years to bear fruit. Air layered trees produce fruit in 2-3 years. Leaves are harvested when fully expanded but still soft and succulent. The fruit are harvested when the skin turns red. Trees can produce 20,000 fruit per year or 6-7 kg. Yields of up to 80-100 kg per tree per year have been achieved.

Nutrition Info

Tu-lip, Melimjo, Spinach Joint fir Photos

References

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