Mamoncillo is a tropical fruit with a tangy, creamy pulp that can be eaten out of hand or used in desserts. It is also known as Spanish lime, chenet, ginep, quenepa, akee, limoncillo, ginnip, and mamon. The fruit comes from the Melicoccus bijugatus tree and is grown in South American and Latin American markets. The trees have silvery gray bark, bright green leaves, and sprays of aromatic whitish flowers. The fruit is typically grown through cuttings and requires a moist environment with plenty of fertilizer.
A mamoncillo is a tropical fruit filled with a tangy, creamy pulp that is often enjoyed straight out of the hand, although it can also be used in desserts such as fruit sorbets. This fruit is most commonly available in South American markets, where the trees grow native, although it can be found in Latin American markets in other regions of the world. In some areas, the mamoncillo tree is grown as an ornamental; gardeners and homeowners aren’t always aware that clusters of green fruit are perfectly edible.
This fruit goes by several aliases, including Spanish lime, chenet, ginep, quenepa, akee, limoncillo, ginnip, and mamon. Despite references to limes and lemons, mamoncillo is not a citrus fruit and is not a close relative of the citrus family; instead, it comes from the Melicoccus bijugatus tree, in the soapberry family, making it a relative of fruits such as lychee and longan. The plethora of nicknames can get confusing, especially since some of them are offensive in various languages; you might want to ask a local what the name of a plant is so as not to cause offense by accident.
The trees have silvery gray bark, simple bright green leaves, and sprays of aromatic whitish white flowers. The flowers can pollinate each other or the flowers on other trees, allowing the trees to develop clusters of small green drupes. The drupes are covered in a thin skin, which must be cracked to reach the fleshy pulp inside; the pulp hides a large seed, which is also edible, although the seeds are usually toasted before consumption.
The traditional way to eat a mamoncillo is out of the way. The consumer breaks the skin with his teeth and sucks the pulp inside, being careful to avoid the large seed, which is usually spat out. Mamoncillos can also be pulped to make desserts and drinks, in which case the pulp is sieved to separate the seeds for roasting. The plant has many other uses as well; the fruit can be used to make a dye and the wood is useful for furniture.
This fruit is typically grown through cuttings, to ensure that young trees retain the positive traits of their parent trees. As a tropical fruit, it does best in USDA zone 10, in a moist environment with plenty of fertilizer. It can also be grown in a greenhouse, along with other tropical fruits, although you will need a high ceiling height to grow mamoncillo as the fruit trees get quite tall.
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