Nov 24, 2022
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae)[2][3] believed to be a domesticated descendant of Artocarpus camansi originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines. It was initially spread to Oceania via the Austronesian expansion. It was further spread to other tropical regions of the world during the Colonial Era.[4][5] British and French navigators introduced a few Polynesian seedless varieties to Caribbean islands during the late 18th century. Today it is grown in some 90 countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, Central America and Africa.[6] Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor.[6][7]
The trees have been widely planted in tropical regions, including lowland Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean.[5][6] In addition to the fruit serving as a staple food in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for outriggers, ships, and houses in the tropics.
Breadfruit is closely related to Artocarpus camansi (breadnut or seeded breadfruit) of New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines, Artocarpus blancoi (tipolo or antipolo) of the Philippines, and Artocarpus mariannensis (dugdug) of Micronesia, all of which are sometimes also referred to as “breadfruit”. It is also closely related to the jackfruit.[8]
Nov 24, 2022
The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos.[1] The term “coconut” (or the archaic “cocoanut“)[2] can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut. The name comes from the old Portuguese word coco, meaning “head” or “skull”, after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features. They are ubiquitous in coastal tropical regions and are a cultural icon of the tropics.
The coconut tree provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other uses. The inner flesh of the mature seed, as well as the coconut milk extracted from it, form a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of clear liquid, called coconut water or coconut juice. Mature, ripe coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk. Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking – frying in particular – as well as in soaps and cosmetics. Sweet coconut sap can be made into drinks or fermented into palm wine or coconut vinegar. The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decoration.
The coconut has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in the Western Pacific Austronesian cultures where it features in their mythologies, songs, and oral traditions. It also had ceremonial importance in pre-colonial animistic religions.[3][4] It has also acquired religious significance in South Asian cultures, where it is used in Hindu rituals. It forms the basis of wedding and worship rituals in Hinduism. It also plays a central role in the Coconut Religion of Vietnam. The falling of their mature fruit has led to preoccupation with death by coconut.[3][5]
Coconuts were first domesticated by the Austronesian peoples in Island Southeast Asia and were spread during the Neolithic via their seaborne migrations as far east as the Pacific Islands, and as far west as Madagascar and the Comoros. They played a critical role in the long sea voyages of Austronesians by providing a portable source of food and water, as well as providing building materials for Austronesian outrigger boats. Coconuts were also later spread in historic times along the coasts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans by South Asian, Arab, and European sailors. Based on these separate introductions, coconut populations can still be divided into Pacific coconuts and Indo-Atlantic coconuts, respectively. Coconuts were introduced by Europeans to the Americas only during the colonial era in the Columbian exchange, but there is evidence of a possible pre-Columbian introduction of Pacific coconuts to Panama by Austronesian sailors. The evolutionary origin of the coconut is under dispute, with theories stating that it may have evolved in Asia, South America, or on Pacific islands. Trees grow up to 30 metres (100 feet) tall and can yield up to 75 fruits per year, though fewer than 30 is more typical. Plants are intolerant of cold weather and prefer copious precipitation, as well as full sunlight. Many insect pests and diseases affect the species and are a nuisance for commercial production. About 75% of the world’s supply of coconuts is produced by Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. The coconut tree is the official state tree of Kerala, India.
Nov 24, 2022
The avocado (Persea americana) is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for its large and unusually oily fruit.[3] The tree likely originated in the highlands bridging south-central Mexico and Guatemala.[4][5][6] Its fruit, sometimes also referred to as an alligator or avocado pear, is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed.[7] Avocado trees are partially self-pollinating, and are often propagated through grafting to maintain consistent fruit output.[8] Avocados are presently cultivated in the tropical and Mediterranean climates of many countries.[4] Mexico is the world’s leading producer of avocados as of 2020, supplying nearly 30% of the global harvest in that year.[9]
The fruit of domestic varieties have smooth, buttery, golden-green flesh when ripe. Depending on the cultivar, avocados have green, brown, purplish, or black skin, and may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. For commercial purposes the fruits are picked while immature and ripened after harvesting. The nutrient density and extremely high fat content of avocado flesh are useful to a variety of cuisines and are often eaten to enrich vegetarian diets.[10]
Avocado trees bear one of the most resource-intensive fruits under wide cultivation, with each avocado fruit requiring 70 litres (18 US gallons; 15 imperial gallons) of water to grow.[11] Despite the C3 photosynthesis of the avocado tree, which consumes atmospheric carbon dioxide to generate the fruit, the industrial scale on which the trees are farmed nevertheless makes avocado production a net carbon source, with more than 400 grams (218 liters) of CO2 being emitted per fruit grown.[12] In major production regions like Chile, Mexico and California the water demands of avocado farms place serious strain on local sources.[13] Avocado production is also implicated in other externalities, including environmental justice, human rights concerns, deforestation and the partial control of their production in Mexico by organized crime.[14][15][16][17] Global warming is expected to result in significant changes to the suitable growing zones for avocados, and place additional pressures on the locales in which they are produced due to heat waves and drought.[18][19]
Nov 24, 2022
The pineapple is a Bromeliaceae and is indigenous to South America, and was introduced to the Caribbean by Amerindians. Barbados had 2 original types of Pineapples. We grow the Antigua Black and a Guyanese variety. Pineapples are rich in enzymes, antioxidants and vitamins. They may help boost the immune system, aid digestion and build bones. Pineapples were once a status symbol of wealth on the sugar plantations.
Nov 24, 2022
A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree Mangifera indica. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India.[1] M. indica has been cultivated in South and Southeast Asia since ancient times resulting in two types of modern mango cultivars: the “Indian type” and the “Southeast Asian type”.[2][3] Other species in the genus Mangifera also produce edible fruits that are also called “mangoes”, the majority of which are found in the Malesian ecoregion.[4]
Worldwide, there are several hundred cultivars of mango. Depending on the cultivar, mango fruit varies in size, shape, sweetness, skin color, and flesh color which may be pale yellow, gold, green, or orange.[1] Mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines,[5][6] while the mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh.[7]
Nov 24, 2022
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae.
The tamarind tree produces brown, pod-like fruits that contain a sweet, tangy pulp, which is used in cuisines around the world. The pulp is also used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The tree’s wood can be used for woodworking and tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds. Tamarind’s tender young leaves are used in Indian and Filipino cuisine.[6][7] Because tamarind has multiple uses, it is cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical zones.
