Java apple: description and use

Varieties of apples there are a great many. However, the exotic plant, which will be discussed, has a very distant resemblance to the fruit known to us and refers to a completely different family. The Java apple grows in the humid tropics, on evergreen trees 5-10 meters high, belonging to the Myrtle family. The plant has a short trunk and a pale pink bark. Fruit in the form of a pear, up to 5 cm in length and 4 cm in width. The pulp is crispy, white, has sour taste and pleasant aroma.

The description of the Java apple will make it possible to find and distinguish this fruit from others even on a tree, even on a counter. Leaves are cordate or lanceolate, saturated greenish-blue. Their dimensions can be 25 cm in length and 12 in width. The flowers are plain, small, yellowish-white in color. Are collected in meteloobraznye inflorescences. Ripe fruit is appreciated for its pleasant taste and aroma.

Biology

The native land of the plant is the peninsula of Malacca, Nicobar and Andaman Islands. In ancient times Javanese apple grew in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, India. Trees are cultivated in Jamaica, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles.

Reproduction is carried out by cuttings, seeds and air layers. For them suitable moistened soil, shady areas, mild climate. Fruits appear in the fifth year, the crops are plentiful. Wild plants are rare.

Composition

The Java apple as a tree hardly differs from other myrtle plants in appearance. Fruits contain a lot of macro and microelements. They are especially rich in iron, have a pronounced antibacterial effect. In flowers there is a lot of tannin, and they are used to treat diarrhea.

The ripeness of apples can be determined on various grounds. Taste and density should be typical. Pedicels are easily separated from fruit. Large fruits are more often affected by ailments, which is why they quickly deteriorate. Medium samples are chosen for storage.

Using

New to Russians fruit is not sold in every store, but still they are brought. The cost is quite high compared to the fruits known to us. Javan apple is used for making sauces, salads. It is stewed with fruits and vegetables. Greenish fruits eat, sprinkle with salt, like cucumbers. In this form they are very tasty and useful.

Pink fruit has a juicy pulp, they are eaten fresh. Also from them prepare various dishes. From Javanese apple, you get wonderful jams, compotes, marinades. Of the leaves extracted essential oil, which is used in medicine. The finished liquid has a tonic effect; Oil is used in the treatment of varicose veins and for skin rejuvenation. Decoctions are effective in fevers.

Storage

A photo of a Java apple will help you find it on the counter among other unfamiliar fruits. Fruits are consumed fresh and after heat treatment. Of them, prepare all kinds of desserts.

Stacked apples with stems upwards in 2 or 3 layers. You do not need to shift them. For storage you can use a basket, box, box.

There is another way: fruits are individually wrapped in paper, and then stacked in cardboard or wooden containers. The best temperature for storage is from -1 to +1 degrees. The humidity should be approximately 85%. Such rules will allow to save fruit much longer.