2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Babako (lat. Carica pentagona) - a fruit crop belonging to the Caricaceae family and which is the closest relative of papaya (to be more precise, it is a hybrid of its two varieties).
Description
Babako is a relatively small, weakly branched or single-stemmed tree, the height of which can vary from five to eight meters. At the same time, the height of cultivated varieties almost never exceeds two to three meters - this feature greatly simplifies the harvesting process. And the cylindrical trunk of babako never completely lignifies - the trunks of young trees are always green, and mature trees boast spectacular grayish-brownish trunks.
Finger-lobed babako leaves extend straight from the trunks, attaching to them with the help of rather long petioles. And on the tops, they form whimsical and incredibly spectacular umbrellas.
Single babako flowers, equipped with graceful white corollas, are formed in the leaf axils throughout the year. And the color of the sepals can vary from dark green to yellowish-greenish shades. Unlike papaya, this plant produces exclusively female flowers, while they are pollinated by some varieties of papaya.
Babako fruits have an outward resemblance to an unripe melon, and the length of these funny S-shaped fruits often reaches thirty centimeters. At the same time, the weight of one fruit can easily reach two kilograms, and one tree is capable of producing from two dozen to six dozen fruits per season.
Babako is famous for its excellent taste, for which it is grown. By the way, the taste of these fruits differs significantly from the taste of papaya - it is somewhat reminiscent of the combination of the tastes of oranges, kiwi and pineapple with strawberries.
Where grows
The main place where babako grows at the moment are the Ecuadorian mountain valleys - this culture began to be cultivated there several millennia ago, long before the appearance of the conquistadors. Small plantations of this plant have long been found in distant New Zealand and in picturesque Australia. But in Peru, Italy, as well as Greece, Brazil and Spain, babako began to be grown relatively recently. This crop is also cultivated in Israel, but there it grows well only in greenhouses.
Application
Babako makes great juice, and its delicate pulp is a valuable raw material for making all kinds of desserts. Also, wonderful jams, delicious jellies and jams, rich syrups and excellent yoghurts are made from these fruits. However, they are no less good in the composition of ice cream. Moreover, these fruits can be used as an addition to a side dish to any meat dishes.
Just like all other plants of the Papaya genus, this crop boasts quite an impressive content of papain. This enzyme is often referred to as plant pepsin - because it actively promotes the absorption of protein (from seafood, fish or meat) and for its ability to stimulate digestion. Such a substance works equally well both in the acidic environment of the stomach and in the alkaline and neutral environments of both the small and large intestines. It is an irreplaceable helper for almost any digestive problems (especially with enterocolitis and colitis)!
Babako fruits are also recommended for people suffering from anemia (they contain a lot of iron), various cardiovascular ailments or diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They are also essential for strengthening teeth and are an excellent tonic.
Contraindications
When using babako, it makes sense to focus only on its individual intolerance.
Growing and caring
Babako is a fairly hardy culture that can grow up to two thousand meters above sea level. It is very resistant to the slightest fluctuations in both air humidity and temperature, which favorably distinguishes it from papaya, which begins to shed its leaves even when the thermometer drops below twenty-eight degrees Celsius.
