Characteristics
A large tree. It grows 18-20 m tall. The leaves are sword shaped and 10-25 cm long by 5-8 cm wide. They are shiny on the upper surface and slightly hairy underneath. The leaf stalks are 3 cm long. Flowers form on the previous year's growth. They are creamy yellow. The fruit has a creamy, banana-pineapple like flavour. The flesh does not have fibres and fruit can be quite seedy. The skin is quite tough. The fruit is about 8 cm across. The skin is 5 mm thick. The seeds are in a white pulp. The fruit falls off when ripe.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
tree
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
18.0 - 20.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It suits the tropical lowlands. It mainly occurs in Guatemala between 300 and 1,000 m altitude. This region has very fertile volcanic soils and a short dry period. It has an annual rainfall of 4,000 mm.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The fruit are eaten fresh.
| Uses |
food
|
| Edible
|
fruits
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate in about 1 month, if fresh. If seed are stored, germination may take 6 months.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
23 - 26
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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