Sapodilla 人心果

Sawo Manilla, sold in Indonesia, Moh. Sabain,Malang, PR. Tiga Buah Sawo Manilla, Malang

人心果,在台灣又稱吳鳳柿、人參果、台語查某李仔,英文稱Sapodilla,印尼文稱Sawo、。是一種山欖科鐵線子屬的常綠中喬木。人心果樹原產於美洲熱帶,結果時間很長,大概要用一年時間。而未成熟的果實帶青綠色,由於富含膠質及單寧酸,是以有點酸澀又帶膠質很黏牙,所以不太好吃,像吃有沙的口香糖。所以,一般只能採完全成熟的人心果。人心果樹身所含的乳汁稱為「樹膠」(Chicle),從前是製造口香糖的主要原料。

Sapodilla can grow to more than 30 m tall with an average trunk diameter of 1.5 m. The average height of cultivated specimens, however, is usually between 9 and 15 m  with a trunk diameter not exceeding 50 cm. It is wind-resistant and the bark is rich in a white, gummy latex called chicle. The ornamental leaves are medium green and glossy. They are alternate, elliptic to ovate, 7-15 cm long, with an entire margin. The white flowers are inconspicuous and bell-like, with a six-lobed corolla. An unripe fruit has a firm outer skin and when picked, releases white chicle from its stem. A fully ripened fruit has saggy skin and does not release chicle when picked.

The fruit is a large berry, 4-8 cm in diameter. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture akin to that of a well-ripened pear. Each fruit contains one to six seeds. The seeds are hard, glossy, and black, resembling beans, with a hook at one end that can catch in the throat if swallowed.

The fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains high amounts of saponin, which has astringent properties similar to tannin, drying out the mouth.
The trees can only survive in warm, typically tropical environments, dying easily if the temperature drops below freezing. From germination, the sapodilla tree will usually take anywhere from five to eight years to bear fruit. The sapodilla trees yield fruit twice a year, though flowering may continue year round.

留言

熱門文章