2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Cherimoya is the fruit of the Annona cherimola tree, which belongs to the Annonaceae family. Cherimoya is also known as the golden Peruvian apple. The tree grows in the Andean valley above 1500 meters above sea level.
It is found from Peru to Colombia, in Australia, California, Italy, some parts of Spain and many other warm countries around the world.
The tree reaches 10 meters in height, and the fruit can reach 2-3 kg. They have green-brown matte leather and a rough surface.
Since the Middle Ages, cherimoya has been transported to various countries and has been grown as an ornamental plant, which is used to decorate gardens, parks, palaces and homes.
The fame of the tree is due to its beauty and aroma. As far back as 1886, Mark Twain said that the fruit is the most beautiful of all known fruits.
Composition of cherimoya
Cherimoya is rich in vitamins A, B6, C and E. Of the minerals best represented are sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus. Cherimoya contains aspartic and glutamic acid, tyrosine, lysine and other useful substances.
100 g cherimoya contain 75 kcal, 18 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, 0.7 g of fat, 1.6 g of protein.
Growing cherimoya
The seeds can be planted and grown at home. The germination period is different, but usually takes about 3 weeks. The small trees that have grown from seed are pink in color.
Over time, they acquire a darker and greener color, and their leaves are ovoid. In winter, the leaves partially fall off. Cherimoya needs enough light and proper wintering.
Usually cherimoya blooms every 3-5 years. Before flowering it looks wilted and most of the leaves fall off. It blooms with a yellowish color, which appears in places of fallen leaves or simultaneously with the young leaves.
Pollination requires two plants that can also be pollinated by hand.
The fruits ripen in 5-7 months. When the skin of the fruit begins to soften and turn yellow, then the fruit is ripe. Naturally ripened on the tree cherimoya is much tastier than detached green and artificially ripe.
Selection and storage of cherimoya
The bark of the cherimoya is very fine and the core is soft and tender. The fruit does not last long and this does not allow the fruit to be transported over long distances. For this reason, the fruit can very rarely be found in the Bulgarian store network.
Cooking cherimoya
Initially the bark of cherimoya peel, cut and be sure to remove black seeds that are poisonous. In some southern countries they are used to kill parasites because they have a strong bactericidal effect.
The heart of cherimoya is creamy in color and unique in taste. It is defined as something in between pineapple, banana, apple and mango. The fruit is very tasty and it is no coincidence that it is called the golden Peruvian apple.
Cherimoya can be consumed directly or garnished with various desserts - fruit salads, cakes, ice cream, jams, creams and many others.
Benefits and harms of cherimoya
The high content of antioxidants and vitamins in cherimoya they make it not only very tasty, but also useful fruit. Cherimoya provides a number of valuable substances for the body.
Along with the benefits, cherimoya can be dangerous. As mentioned, the seeds are poisonous and must be removed before consumption.
They can even cause paralysis if the juice is injected from them. For this reason, scientists are trying to obtain fruits that do not contain seeds.
They want to achieve the appearance of seedless cherimoya. According to one of the professors working on the project, the cherimoya will become the next banana in the near future.
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Unknown Fruits: Cherimoya
Cherimoya is a tree growing at a height of 5-9 m. The flowers are arranged along the branches on short stalks and consist of three fleshy outer petals and three much smaller inner ones. Cherimoya begins to bear fruit at the age of 4-5 years.
