Botanical Name:Cryptocarya alba
Family: Lauraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Laurales
Genus: Cryptocarya
Species: C. alba
Common Names: Peumo or Chilean acorn
Habitat: Peumo is native to Chile and Argentina from 33 to 40° southern latitude. It can live both in wet and as in dry conditions. Its distribution can reach up to 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level.
Description:
These trees can grow up to 65 ft (20 meters) in height. They have simple, opposite and alternate leaves growing between 2.5 cm and 8.5 cm in length. The breadth of these smooth shiny ovate leaves, they are perennial, aromatic, simple, alternate and opposite, 2.5 to 8.5 cm long and one to four cm wide; aovate and entire lobe, a little undulate. The smooth stem is brownish grey cork cambium. Older stems have some detachable scales. The greenish yellow flowers grow in 3 to 4 mm long clusters. Each flower has six uneven fleshy and hairy petals……....CLICK & SEE
The trunk is straight and hardly twisted; brown-grayish cork cambium, relatively smooth, with few cracks and detachable scales when old. Central branches thick and ascending; terminal twigs thin and hanging. The flowers are in dense bunches, greenish yellow and three to four mm long; hermaphrodite, they have six fleshy uneven and hairy petals. It blooms from November to January (southern hemisphere). It produces edible fruits red-colored, called “peumos”, which contain large heavy seeds, which germinate easily.
Fruit Size: The berries of these trees grow somewhere between 15 mm and 18 mm in length and between 7mm and 10 mm in breadth.
Color: Raw fruits are green in color turning a brilliant shade of red as they ripen.
Taste: The fruits have a rather unpleasant taste unless they are infused in warm water
Cultivation & Uses:
the Puemo can survive very low temperatures , Even though the entire tree is covered by snow!
Cultivation of Puemo plant is very easy since their seeds undergo quick germination.
. Planted trees in northern California have done very well. Rarely seen in Spain, it has adapted perfectly in that country.
Edible Uses: The fruits or berries of these evergreen trees are edible.
Medicinal Uses & health Benefits:
The berries of these medicinal plants are highly beneficial for human health. They are rich in various vitamins and minerals that help in the growth and immunity of the body.
Oil can be extracted from the edible seeds of these fruits. This oil contains various polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids. It is rich in linoleic and oleic acid. This oil is an excellent source of Tocopherols and beta-sitosterol.
Other Uses:
The Peumo trees also have ornamental value for their attractive appearance. The hard and moisture-resistant wood also has many uses while their bark is used in leather tanning industry as well as for dying orange color. It is also used as a fodder plant.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocarya_alba
https://www.fruitsinfo.com/peumo-fruit.php
https://www.onlyfoods.net/peumo.html#Peumo_Scientific_Name
