Common name: Jamaica/Panama Cherry, Strawberry tree, Jam tree, Cotton Candy berry, Calabura, केव्नी Kewni (Marathi), தேன் பழம் tEn pazham (Tamil)
Botanical name: Muntingia calabura Family: Elaeocarpaceae (Rudraksh family)
This is a very fast-growing tree of slender proportions, reaching 25 to 40 ft
in height, with spreading, nearly horizontal branches. The leaves
are evergreen, alternate, lanceolate or oblong, long-pointed at the apex,
oblique at the base. The flowers with 5 green sepals and 5 white petals and
many prominent yellow stamens last only one day, the petals falling in the
afternoon. Flowers resemble strawberry bloom, hence the name of the tree. The
abundant fruits are round, 3/8 to 1/2 in (1-1.25 cm) wide, with red or
sometimes yellow, smooth, thin, tender skin and light-brown, soft, juicy pulp,
with very sweet, musky, somewhat fig-like flavor, filled with exceedingly
minute, yellowish seeds, too fine to be noticed in eating. Fruit taste like
cotton candy. The fruits are sold in Mexican markets. The tree has the
reputation of thriving with no care in poor soils and it does well in both
acid and alkaline locations. It is
drought-resistant but not salt-tolerant. Wherever it grows, fruits are borne
nearly all year.
The leaf infusion is
drunk as a tea-like beverage. The flowers are said to possess antiseptic
properties. An infusion of the flowers is valued as an antispasmodic. It is
taken to relieve headache and the first symptoms of a cold. Seeds spread by
birds and fruit bats. Fruits contain hundreds of tiny seeds. Seeds germinate
only with light
| Photographed in Maharashtra |
Identification credit: Nandan Kalbag
|
