The star apple has another name Kyanito, or Kaimito (Chrysophyllum cainito), is a representative of the Sapotov family. The fruit owes its distribution to Central America and Mexico. The lifespan of trees is very long, they can reach a height of 30 meters. The plant loves good lighting, a lot of moisture, enriched soil. The plant is planted with seeds, grafts, air layers.
Description of fruit star apple
The tree is a green plant that grows up to 30 meters in height, which is characterized by rapid growth. The trunk is not long, straight, dense bark, voluminous leaf cover. Branches are brown. The leaf has an oval, oblong shape, bright green on top, and golden brown on the back. The maximum leaf length reaches 15 centimeters. The flowers are inconspicuous and small.
The fruits are presented in various shapes, with a maximum diameter of 10 centimeters. The rind can be pale green, reddish-purple, sometimes almost black. The contents of the fruit have a pleasant sweetish taste, soft and juicy in consistency.
The star apple contains about 8 seeds. During harvest, the fruits are cut from the branches on which they are located. This is because the ripe fruit is held firmly on the branches instead of falling off.
Only ripe fruits can be used. According to the external characteristics, it is possible to determine the degree of ripeness of the fruit, when the star apple is fully ripe, its skin becomes wrinkled, and the fruit becomes soft. A ripe star apple can be stored for up to 3 weeks. The fruit got its name from the seed chambers arranged in the form of a star.
Distribution and application
Star apple grows in America, Mexico, Argentina, Panama. A hot climate is favorable for a tree; it does not withstand low temperatures. The most favorable for plants are loamy and sandy soils. The tree needs a constant supply of a large amount of moisture.
The plant bears fruit in February and March, from one tree you can harvest up to 65 kilograms.
The star apple can be eaten fresh, juiced or made into desserts. Due to the content of Milky juice, the peel has a bitter taste, therefore, the pulp is cleaned from the fruit before use. The bitter peel is not edible.
