2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Araza (lat. Eugenia stipitata) - a fruit crop, which is a bright representative of the numerous Myrtle family.
Description
Araza is a spectacular tree, the height of which ranges from two to fifteen meters, but in most cases it does not exceed three meters. The width of oval simple leaves of araza reaches three and a half to nine and a half centimeters, and in length they usually grow up to six to eighteen centimeters.
This culture blooms with spectacular white flowers that gather in dense brushes right in the leaf axils. And the fruits of araza look like spherical berries, the diameter of which, depending on the variety, can be from four to twelve centimeters. As for the average weight of the fruit, it is 750 g. From above, these fruits are covered with a yellow skin, while the skin can be either velvety, like an apricot, or shiny - this feature also depends on the variety. The flesh of araza is juicy, yellow, with several elongated seeds of rather large size. It also smells really good.
Where grows
In the wild, the beautiful Araza can be found in the Amazon Valley in sunny Brazil, as well as in the vastness of Eastern Peru and Eastern Ecuador. It was also introduced there into culture. And now araza is no less actively cultivated in the Caribbean islands and in some Central American countries.
Application
Since the fruits of araza are rather sour, fresh fruits are intended only for the amateur. At the same time, amazing juices, sorbets, jams, ice cream, canned fruit and all kinds of soft drinks are prepared from araza. But during cooking, the enchanting aroma of araza is instantly destroyed.
Araza is very rich in vitamins B1, A and C (the latter is twice as much as in oranges). Such "wealth" makes it an irreplaceable tonic. There is a lot in these fruits and protein, the presence of which is due to their exceptional nutritional value. True, most of it is contained in the seeds of this fruit. It also contains valuable trace elements, and the fiber content in araz is about 6.5%.
Araza berries are extremely sensitive to pressure and do not tolerate transportation at all. And they deteriorate at a truly lightning speed. That is why they are practically not exported to Europe, and in Russia it is also not possible to see the araz.
Araza boasts valuable decorative properties - they are due to its small height and stunning openwork crown. This feature allows you to grow it for recreational purposes - this attractive tree is actively planted in forest belts, is part of a great variety of hedges and is used to create luxurious plant compositions.
Contraindications
In the case of individual intolerance to araza, allergic reactions can sometimes occur, but in general, these fruits do not have serious contraindications.
Growing and caring
Araza is able to grow only in hot tropical climates, that is, only in those countries where the average annual temperature never drops below twenty-six degrees. The slightest frost instantly leads to the death of this capricious beauty, but she is endowed with a truly unique ability to withstand even too severe drought, and lasting up to two months.
On well-fertilized, enriched soils, araza is capable of both blooming and bearing fruit throughout the year. It reproduces only by seeds, while from the moment of planting to the moment of germination, it should take from three to six months. It is noteworthy that for germination of seeds, araza does not use soil, but decaying wood. With good care, the yield of this crop easily reaches three to five tons per hectare.