Category: Fruits & Vegetables

Botanical Name:Sandoricum koetjape
Family: Meliaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Genus: Sandoricum
Species: S. koetjape

Common Names: Santol or Cotton fruit

Habitat: Santol is native to the Malesian floristic region, but have been introduced to Indochina, Sri Lanka, India, northern Australia, Mauritius, and Seychelles. It is commonly cultivated throughout these regions and the fruits are seasonally abundant in the local and international markets.

Description:
The santol is a fast-growing, straight-trunked, pale-barked tree 50 to 150 ft (15-45 m) tall, branched close to the ground and buttressed when old. Young branchlets are densely brown-hairy. The evergreen, or very briefly deciduous, spirally-arranged leaves are compound, with 3 leaflets, elliptic to oblong-ovate, 4 to 10 in (20-25 cm) long, blunt at the base and pointed at the apex. The greenish, yellowish, or pinkish-yellow, 5-petalled flowers, about 3/8 in (1 cm) long are borne on the young branchlets in loose, stalked panicles 6 to 12 in (15-30 cm) in length. The fruit (technically a capsule) is globose or oblate, with wrinkles extending a short distance from the base; 1 1/2 to 3 in (4-7.5 cm) wide; yellowish to golden, sometimes blushed with pink. The downy rind may be thin or thick and contains a thin, milky juice. It is edible, as is the white, translucent, juicy pulp (aril), sweet, subacid or sour, surrounding the 3 to 5 brown, inedible seeds which are up to 3/4 in (2 cm) long, tightly clinging or sometimes free from the pulp.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES…TREE…….FLOWERS……..FRUITS

Varieties:
There are two general types of santol: the Yellow (formerly S. indicum or S. nervosum); and the Red (formerly S. koetjape). The leaflets of the Yellow, to 6 in (15 cm) long, turn yellow when old; the flowers are pinkish-yellow in panicles to 6 in (15 cm) long; the fruit has a thin rind and the pulp is 1/4 to 1/2 in (0.6-1.25 cm) thick around the seeds and typically sweet. The fruit may not fan when ripe. Only the Yellow is now found wild in Malayan forests.
The leaflets of the Red, to 12 in (30 cm) long, velvety beneath, turn red when old; the flowers are greenish or ivory, in panicles to 12 in (30 cm) long; the fruit has a thick rind, frequently to 1/2 in (1.25 cm); there is less pulp around the seeds, and it is sour. The fruit falls when ripe.
However, Corner says that these distinctions are not always clear-cut except as to the dying leaf color, and the fruit may not correspond to the classifications. There are sweet and acid strains of both the Yellow and Red types and much variation in rind thickness.

Cultivation:
Sandoricum is a tree of humid tropical regions that grows from sea level to an elevation of 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. It grows better in deep and organic grounds, and with rainfall distributed throughout the year, although it also tolerates long, dry periods. The distance of planting from each other is 20 to 25 feet (6.1 to 7.6 m). It requires fertilization two times a year so it can grow better. Normally, seed trees produce fruit after 5 or 7 years of age, though some cultivars need only 3 or 4. The santol is a very productive tree. A mature tree can produce between 18,000 and 24,000 fruits per year. In Puerto Rico it produces in the months of August and September

Edible Uses:
The fruit is usually consumed raw without peeling. In India, it is eaten with spices. With the seeds removed, it is made into jam or jelly. Pared and quartered, it is cooked in sirup and preserved in jars. Young fruits are candied in Malaysia by paring, removing the seeds, boiling in water, then boiling a second time with sugar. In the Philippines, santols are peeled chemically by dipping in hot water for 2 minutes or more, then into a lye solution at 200º F (93.33º C) for 3 to 5 minutes. Subsequent washing in cool water removes the outer skin. Then the fruits are cut open, seeded and commercially preserved in sirup. Santol marmalade in glass jars is exported from the Philippines to Oriental food dealers in the United States and probably elsewhere. Very ripe fruits are naturally vinous and are fermented with rice to make an alcoholic drink.

CLICK & SEE

Medicinal Uses:
The preserved pulp is employed medicinally as an astringent, as is the quince in Europe. Crushed leaves are poulticed on itching skin.

In cases of fever in the Philippines, fresh leaves are placed on the body to cause sweating and the leaf decoction is used to bathe the patient. The bitter bark, containing the slightly toxic sandoricum acid, an unnamed, toxic alkaloid, and a steroidal sapogenin, is applied on ringworm and also enters into a potion given a woman after childbirth. The aromatic, astringent root also serves the latter purpose, and is a potent remedy for diarrhea. An infusion of the fresh or dried root, or the bark, may be taken to relieve colic and stitch in the side. The root is a stomachic and antispasmodic and prized as a tonic. It may be crushed in a blend of vinegar and water which is then given as a carminative and remedy for diarrhea and dysentery. Mixed with the bark of Carapa obovata Blume, it is much used in Java to combat leucorrhea.

Other Uses:
Wood: The sapwood is gray, merging into the heartwood which is reddish-brown when dry, imparting the color to water. It is fairly hard, moderately heavy, close-grained and polishes well, but is not always of good quality. It is not durable in contact with moisture and is subject to borers. However, it is plentiful, easy to saw and work, and accordingly popular. If carefully seasoned, it can be employed for house-posts, interior construction, light-framing, barrels, cabinetwork, boats, carts, sandals, butcher’s blocks, household utensils and carvings. When burned, the wood emits an aromatic scent.
The dried heartwood yields 2 triterpenes–katonic acid and indicic acid–and an acidic resin.
Bark:
In the Philippines, the bark is used in tanning fishing lines.

Known Hazards:
Doctors in Thailand and the Philippines have warned about the risk of intestinal obstruction and perforation from swallowing the whole seeds of Sandoricum koetjape. One source claims there are about 200 cases annually in the Philippines. The “Bangkok” santol, a larger variety, may be responsible for more severe cases of abdominal surgery. Common symptoms are abdominal pain with peritonitis that requires surgery to remove the seeds. In one retrospective review, 6 of 30 patients with Sandorica seed-induced colon perforation died within 28 days following the development of septic shock.

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/Sandoricum_koetjape
https://plantogram.com/product/santol/

Botanical Name: Salacca zalacca
Family: Arecaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Arecales
Genus: Salacca
Species: S. zalacca

Synonyms:
*Calamus zalacca Gaertn.
*Salacca edulis Reinw.
*Salacca rumphii Wall.
*Salacca blumeana Mart.
*Calamus salakka Willd. ex Steud.
*Salacca edulis var. amboinensis Becc.
*Salacca zalacca var. amboinensis (Becc.) Mogea

Common Names: Salak, Snake fruit

Habitat: Salak is native to Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. It is cultivated in other regions of Indonesia as a food crop, and reportedly naturalized in Bali, Lombok, Timor, Maluku, and Sulawesi. It grows on Rich soils in moist, shaded forests, often forming impenetrable thickets when growing in swampy areas and along the sides of streams.

Description:
Salak is a very short-stemmed palm tree, with leaves up to 6 metres (20 ft) long; each leaf has a 2-metre long petiole with spines up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, and numerous leaflets. The fruits grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip.

Salak fruit is an evergreen, acaulescent, very spiny, tillering, usually dioecious palm growing in clumps formed by successive branching at the stem base. Roots are superficial, not deep and new roots emerge from the stem immediately under the crown, the internodes are short and crowded. They are found growing in humid tropical lowland conditions. Salak is usually grown under partial shade as it grows and performs better than in full sun. Salak is usually cultivated on mineral soils such as well-drained clayey loams, sandy loams and lateritic soils. Stems are subterranean stolon, with a short, 1–2 m high, 10–15 cm diameter, erect aerial part bearing the leaves. Similarly leaves are Pinnatipartite, 3–6 m long. Leaves, leaf-sheaths, petioles and leaflets consist of numerous long, thin, blackish spines. Petioles are very spiny and 2 m long. Leaflet segments are unequal, linear-lanceolate, with narrowed base, concave, apex caudate and acute, and 20–70 cm by 2–7.5 cm. Flowers are paired in axils of scales; male flowers with reddish, tubular corolla and 6 stamens borne on the corolla throat and a tiny pistillode; female flowers with tubular corolla, yellow-green outside and dark red inside, a trilocular ovary with short 3-fid, red style and 6 staminodes borne on the corolla throat.

CLICK TO SEE……...TREE……..FLOWER.……..FRUIT

Cultivation:
A plant of the humid, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 – 30°c, but can tolerate 12 – 36°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,700 – 3,100mm, but tolerates 1,400 – 3,500mm. Requires a deep, rich, moist soil and some shade. Prefers a light-textured soil. Young palms require heavy shade which may be reduced after about one year. Because of its superficial root system, the palm requires a high water table, rain or irrigation during most of the year, but it does not stand flooding. Prefers a pH in the range 5 – 6, tolerating 4.5 – 6.5. The palm starts flowering three to four years after sowing. It can be productive for 50 years or more. The scarce data available suggest that annual yields vary from 5 – 15 t/ha. There are some named varieties. A dioecious plant, requiring both male and female forms to be grown near each other if fruit and seed are required. One male plant is usually adequate to fertilise nine females. There is at least one monoecious variety. ‘Bali’ produces inflorescences with both hermaphrodite and staminate flowers; the latter produce functional pollen. Spacing: 10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m) 12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m) 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m) 20-30 ft. (6-9 m).

Edible Uses:
Fruit is eaten raw. An acid flavour Slightly crisp, with a delicious blend of acids and sugars and an apple-like flavour The flesh is exceptionally firm and crisp for a tropical fruit. It is quite sweet when fully ripe, but the unripe fruit is sour and astringent due to the presence of a little tannic acid. Considered to be one of the finest of palm fruits for eating raw. In Indonesia the fruits are also candied (‘manisan salak’), pickled (‘asinan salak’) and fresh unripe ones may be used in ‘rujak’, a spicy salad of unripe fruit. The reddish-brown, ovoid fruit is 6 – 8cm in diameter. The seed is edible. The seed kernels of the young fruits of the Javanese ‘Pondoh’ form are edible.

The fruit inside consists of three lobes with the two larger ones, or even all three, containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, with a strong astringent edge, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy.

Neutricinal Value:
Apart from their sweet and slightly acidic taste, salak is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 100 gram of salak offers 3.9 mg of Iron, 0.2 mg of Vitamin B2, 8.4 mg of Vitamin C, 12.1 g of Carbohydrate, 38 mg of Calcium, 18 mg of Phosphorus, 0.8 g of Protein, 0.4 g of Total Fat and 0.3 g of Total dietary Fiber.

Health benefits of Salak
Salak fruit consist of nutrition just like Protein, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin-C, Dietary fiber, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus and Carbohydrates which are great for overall health. Salak or Snake Fruit contains lots of Beta-Carotene which is a powerful antioxidant and works well to prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and even cancer. Additionally it contains 5 times more Beta-Carotene than that found in watermelon, mangos, and 3 times more than found in guava. Listed below are some of the popular health benefits of Salak fruit

Eye Medicine:

Salak fruit is considered quite beneficial as eye medication. According to research by health specialists, salak fruit consists of beta-carotene that is great for eyes. For anyone who wish to keep the eyes healthy and balanced yet fed up with having to constantly consume carrot juice, now you have yet another option that is exchanging the carrot juice along with salak juice. SO including salak fruit in your regular diet is one of the best methods to get the required amount of beta carotene

.Good for Stomach:

Salak is one of the nutrients dense fruit which consists of calcium, tannin, saponin, flavonoid and beta-carotene. Because of these nutrients, salak has health benefits for human body. Tanin is anti-diarrhea, so salak help to cure diarrhea. Apart from that salak treat indigestion stomach. It is better to consume salak along with its epidermis, which can prevent constipation.

Memory Booster:

Because of its higher nutritional value, Salak is called as a ‘memory fruit’. High amount of potassium and pectin present in salak helps to improves body’s cognitive functions and enhances memory

Control Blood Sugar Level:

Skin of Salak fruit when made into a tea helps in cell regeneration in the pancreas that helps to control diabetes. Apart from that it also contains pterostilbene which is a blood glucose lowering agent that helps in controlling diabetes. Therefore frequent use of salak fruit in your diet is quite beneficial for lowering blood glucose level

Maintain Cardiovascular Health:

Salak consist of good amount of potassium content that makes heart healthy. High amount of antioxidants and minerals keep the cardiovascular system function properly and helps in water regulation within the body.

Helps in Weight Loss:

Due to high fiber and antioxidant content, Salak is a sought-after diet for weight management diets. Since salak consists of calcium and carbohydrates it provides necessary energy and stamina to the body while on diet. Its tea is a wonderful astringent that is beneficial in reducing weight.

Other Uses:
Agroforestry Uses: A closely-planted row of palms forms an impregnable hedge and the very spiny leaves are also cut to construct fences[303 ]. Other Uses The bark of the petioles may be used for matting. The leaflets are used for thatching

Known Hazards: Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling.

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/Salak
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/health-benefits-of-salak-fruit/
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salacca+zalacca

Botanical Name: Dacryodes edulis
Family: Burseraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Genus: Dacryodes

Common Names: Safou (Cameroon), African plum, African pear, Atanga (Gabon), Ube (Nigeria),v African or Bush pear or Plum, Nsafu, Bush butter tree, or Butterfruit.

Habitat:
Safou is native to Southern and western Tropical Africa – Ghana to the Congo. The preferential habitat of Safou is a shady, humid tropical forest. However, it adapts well to variations in soil type, humidity, temperature and day length. The natural range extends from Angola in the South, Nigeria and Sierra Leone in the West and Uganda in the East. It is also cultivated in Malaysia.

Description:
Safou is an evergreen tree attaining a height of 18–40 meters in the forest but not exceeding 12 meters in plantations. It has a relatively short trunk and a deep, dense crown. The bark is pale gray and rough with droplets of resin. The leaves are a compound with 5-8 pairs of leaflets. The upper surface of the leaves is glossy. The flowers are yellow and about 5 mm across. They are arranged in a large inflorescence. The fruit is an ellipsoidal drupe which varies in length from 4 to 12 cm. The skin of the fruit is dark blue or violet, whereas the flesh is pale to light green. The tree flowers at the beginning of the rainy season and bears fruits during 2 to 5 months after flowering.

CLICK & SEE…...TREE…...LEAF….FLOWER.…...FRUIT

There are two variants of Dacryodes edulis: D. e. var. edulis and D. e. var. parvicarpa. The fruit of D. e. var. edulis is larger and the tree has stout, ascending branches. D. e. var. parvicarpa has smaller fruit and slender, drooping branches.

Cultivation:
A plant of the relatively dry tropical savannah, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 – 28c but can tolerate 14 – 35c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 – 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,000 – 5,000mm. The plant can be cultivated in a wide range of areas, since it adapts well to differences in day length, temperature, rainfall, soils and altitude. Seedlings can thrive in quite dense shade, but older trees grow well in partial shade or full sun. Grows in a wide range of soils, even succeeding in leached, infertile ferrallitic soils and swampy soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5 – 6.5, tolerating 4 – 8. Seedling plants can commence fruiting when about 5 – 6 years old. Flowering time and duration depend on latitude and genotype. Some trees flower early, while others flower late and may produce blossoms continuously for several months. Yields of 20 – 50 kilos of fruit can be expected from each tree, with reports of 110 kilos from 20 year old trees. The flowers open in the morning and pollen is shed within 1 – 2 hours, so pollination has to be effected quickly. Trees can be male, female, or hermaphrodite. Male trees may produce a limited number of female flowers, and thus some fruit. Blooms all year. Blooms repeatedly. Carbon Farming – Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard.

Edible Uses:
Safou fruit can be eaten either raw, cooked in salt water or roasted. Cooked flesh of the fruit has a texture similar to butter. The pulp contains 48% oil and a plantation can produce 7-8 tons of oil per hectare. The fat content of this fruit is much higher compared to fruits such as apple, guava, and pawpaw. It is also rich in vitamins. The kernel can be used as fodder for sheep or goats. The flowers are useful in apiculture.

Health Benefits:
The seed of Safou is rich in different proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, crude fibres, appreciable amounts of potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is also rich in essential amino acids such as Lysine, Phenylalanine, Leucine, Isoleucine. It contain a considerable amount of fatty acids such as palmitic acids, oleic acids, and linoleic acids. Physicochemical analysis suggested that the seed have valuable functional attributes of industrial interest. The important natural product, gallic acid, is found in significant quantity in the seed of Safou.

Medicinal uses:
The tree is also a source of many herbal medicines. It has long been used in the traditional medicine of some African countries to treat various ailments such as wounds, skin diseases,[vague] dysentery, and fever. The extracts and secondary metabolites have been found to show antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. A wide range of chemical constituents such as terpenes, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins have been isolated from the plant.

The resin from the bark is used to treat parasitic skin diseases, jiggers etc. A bark-decoction is taken powdered with maleguetta pepper as an anti-dysenteric, and for anaemia, spitting blood and as an emmenagogue. The decoction is also used for making gargles and mouth-washes, for treating tonsillitis. The pulped-up bark is used as a wound cicatrizant. Combined with palm-oil, it is applied topically to relieve general pains and stiffness and to treat cutaneous conditions. The leaves are eaten raw with kola nut as an antiemetic. The leaf-sap is instilled into the ear for ear-trouble. A leaf-decoction is prepared as a vapour-bath for treating feverish stiffness with headache.

Other uses:
The wood of Safou is elastic, greyish-white to pinkish. The wood has general use for tool handles, and occasionally for mortars, and is suitable for carpentry.

The resin is sometimes burnt for lighting or used as a glue. The tree is used as an ornamental plant and is known to improve soil quality by providing large quantities of biomass.

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/Dacryodes_edulis
https://www.fruitsinfo.com/safou-tropical-fruit.php
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dacryodes+edulis

Botanical Name:Rollinia deliciosa
Family: Annonaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Magnoliales
Genus: Rollinia
Species: R. deliciosa

Synonyms:
Annona mucosa Jacq.
Annona sieberi A. DC.
Rollinia mucosa (Jacq.) Baill.
Rollinia orthopetala A. DC.

Common Names: The Brazilian name, Biribá has become somewhat well known. Nonetheless, the fruits are occasionally known by other names, including Wild sugar apple and Aratiku

Habitat: Rollinia is native to tropical South America. It is cultivated for its edible fruits, commonly known as biribá or wild sugar-apple, throughout the world’s tropics and subtropics.

Description:
Rollinia is a fast-growing, flood-tolerant, sun-loving tropical tree, with leaves up to 35 cm long. It can reach a height of 4–15 m (13–49 ft), which can bear fruit from seed within 3 years. The fruit is large, conical or round, green when unripe, ripening to yellow. Its surface is covered with soft spines or protuberances which bruise and blacken with handling, giving it an unappealing appearance. This delicacy, together with a shelf life of less than a week, has limited its commercial cultivation. However, it is an increasingly popular tree for homestead cultivation in tropical areas.

CLICK & SEE..>…..TREE……...FLOWER………FRUIT

Cultivation & propagation:
Propagation is usually by seeds, which can remain viable for 2 years kept dry and in the dark, though air-layering and grafting are possible to preserve specific cultivars. Grafting onto rootstocks of Annona montana or Annona glabra causes dwarfing. Little work establishing superior cultivars has been done and considerable genetic variability exists. ‘Regnard’ is perhaps the best known cultivar, which was introduced into the Philippines in 1917. The largest is ‘biribá do Alto Solimoes’, developed in Brazil, which can weigh up to 4 kg, making it probably the third largest fruit of the Annona family after the junglesop and the soursop.

Edible Uses: Rollinia fruit is usually consumed fresh, but it can also be used to make juices, milkshakes, ice cream and wine. The fruit pulp is very soft and sweet, tasting somewhat like a lemon meringue pie. Some reports of the flavor are extremely favorable, others more moderate. It is generally eaten out of the hand, though some chefs have used it for cooking, and wine has been made out of it in Brazil.

Health Benefits & Medicinal Uses:
The fruit is an invaluable source of Vitamin C and essential minerals such as potassium, phosphorous, magnesium or calcium. Rollinia is highly prized.

In folk medicine the fruit is used as a cooling and soothing agent to relieve fevers and internal irritations.

The fruit pulp is very soft and sweet, tasting somewhat like a lemon meringue pie. Some reports of the flavour are extremely favourable, others more moderate.

It is widely acknowledged among health and nutrition professionals that fruit is an essential part of a healthy diet. Many fruits are rich in important vitamins

Other uses:
The wood of the biribá tree is durable and suitable for boat construction.
Young biribá trees are traditionally used as the main bow of the Afro-Brazilian instrument berimbau, named after the biribá tree.

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/Rollinia_deliciosa
https://healthybenefits.info/the-benefits-of-rollinia-fruit/

Botanical Name: Nephelium ramboutan-ake
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Nephelium
Species: N. ramboutan-ake

Synonyms:
*Litchi ramboutan-ake Labill.
*Nephelium mutabile Blume

Common Names : Pulasan, kapulasan (Indonesia), Ngoh-khonsan (Thailand) and Bulala (Philippines)

Habitat:
The pulasan is native to Peninsular Malaysia. Wild trees are infrequent in lowland forests around Perak, Malaysia but abundant in the Philippines at low elevations from Luzon to Mindanao. The tree has long been cultivated in the Malay Peninsula and Thailand; is rarely domesticated in the Philippines. Ochse reported that there were extensive plantings in Java only around Bogor and the villages along the railway between Bogor and Jakarta. Found mostly in lowland primary forests, often on river banks but rarely in swamps, usually on sand or clay.

Description:
The name pulasan comes from the Malay word pulas (twist) related to “pilas” (remove) of Tagalog. The fruit is opened through the act of twisting the fruit with both hands, thus the name pulasan.

Pulasan is a semi-deciduous, ornamental tree. It attains a height of 10–15 m and has a short trunk to 30–40 cm thick. The branchlets are brown and hairy when young. The alternate leaves, pinnate or odd-pinnate, are 17–45 cm long, have 2 to 5 pairs of opposite or nearly opposite leaflets, are oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, 6.25-17.5 cm long and up to 5 cm wide; slightly wavy, dark-green and barely glossy on the upper surface; pale, and somewhat bluish, with a few short, silky hairs on the underside. Very small, greenish, petalless flowers with 4-5 hairy sepals are borne singly or in clusters on the branches of the erect, axillary or terminal, panicles clothed with fine yellowish or brownish hairs.

The pulasan is ultra-tropical and thrives only in very humid regions between 360 and 1,150 ft (110–350 m) of altitude. In Malaya, it is said that the tree bears best after a long, dry season.

The fruit is ovoid, 5-7.5 cm long, dark red, with its thick, leathery rind closely set with conical, blunt-tipped tubercles or thick, fleshy, straight spines, which are up to 1 cm long. There may be one or two small, undeveloped fruits nestled close to the stem. Within is the glistening, white or yellowish-white flesh (aril) to 1 cm thick, more or less clinging to the thin, grayish-brown seedcoat (testa) which separates from the seed. The flavour is generally much sweeter than that of the rambutan. The seed is ovoid, oblong or ellipsoid, light brown, somewhat flattened on one side, and 2 to 3.5 cm long.

While very similar to rambutan, the fruit lacks the hairy spines. The flesh is very sweet and juicy, and separates easily from the seed, much more easily than the rambutan. In addition, unlike the seed of the rambutan, the seed of the pulasan is readily edible raw. It has a flavour somewhat similar to that of almonds.

There are two varieties of Pulasan one is dark red and the other one is light red. The dark red fruit haves a seed that separates easily from the flesh whereas the light red fruit haves a seed that sticks on to the flesh of the fruit.

CLICK & SEE…….TREE……..FRUITS

Cultivation:
Pulasan grows best in the lowland humid tropics at an elevation below 600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 – 32°c, but can tolerate 18 – 38°c. The plant cannot tolerate frost. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 – 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,350 – 4,100mm. Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating some shade. Prefers a sand or clay soil. Succeeds in most well-drained soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5 – 5.8, tolerating 4.3 – 8. There are some named varieties. Some of the varieties bear parthenocarpic fruit. Being overshadowed by good rambutan cultivars, this species has little prospect of being develop for commercial cultivation. However, it is a good potential genetic source in breeding programmes with the rambutan.

Propagation:
Pulasan can be propagated by seed and grafting methods. Grafting is a common practice among horticulturalists that often is a proactive method of preventing disease, by using healthy rootstocks. Though starting by seed can be successful, most producers will not use this method of propagation due to variation in gender, which causes chance in having an actual fruiting tree.

Edible Uses:
Pulasan is usually eaten fresh, though it resembles much like Rambutan, it is different from Rambutan and haves its own characteristics. The flesh of the red tropical fruit is either eaten raw or made into a jam. The seeds of the exotic fruits are boiled or roasted to prepare a beverage resembling cocoa.

Nutrition Facts of Pulasan:
Per 100 g of flesh of pulasan fruit contains about 84.54 percent to 90.87 percent of moisture and other nutrition benefits.

Nutrients……. Amount
Protein……… 0.82 g
Carbohydrates…. 12.86 g
Fiber……………… 0.14 g
Fat…………. 0.55 g
Calcium …………….0.01-0.05 mg
Iron………… 0.002 mg
Vitamin C……. 11 mg

Medicinal Uses:
The decotion of the fruit is highly used bathing fever patients.The roots have medicinal properties.

Other Uses:
An oil obtained from the seeds is used in lamps. The wood is hard. A useful timber, but rarely used because the fruit is too valuable to merit the tree being felled.

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/Pulasan
https://www.fruitsinfo.com/pulasan-tropical-fruit.php
https://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/health-benefits-of-pulasan.htm
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Nephelium+ramboutan-ake