2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Mabolo (lat. Diospyros discolor) - a pretty fruit tree belonging to the Ebony family. Mabolo is also called multi-colored persimmon.
Description
Mabolo is a slow-growing and very beautiful evergreen tree, the height of which ranges from eighteen to thirty-three meters. The diameter of the strong trunks of the mabolo sometimes reaches eighty centimeters, in addition, each tree is endowed with furrowing bark of a rich black color.
Dark green oblong leathery mabolo leaves on top are always glossy and very smooth. Their width is on average five to nine centimeters, and their length is from 15 to 22.8 centimeters. And young leaves are most often painted in light green or pinkish tones.
The fragrant tubular flowers of this culture are painted in white or cream tones and are securely attached to rather short pedicels.
Flattened or oval mabolo fruits, reaching a width of five to ten centimeters, are endowed with a velvety skin of a bright purple-red, rich orange, juicy yellow, strict brownish or exquisite pinkish hue. And near the bases, each fruit is reliably covered with a rather tough cup. On trees, mabolo fruits often grow in pairs. It is noteworthy that the peel of whole fruits exudes a terribly unpleasant and rather strong cheese-like smell. And the mealy and very strong whitish flesh of mabolo, although quite moist, is not juicy. But it has a sweet and mild apple-banana aroma. The brownish wedge-shaped seeds of the fruit are covered with strong membranes of whitish shades and reach two and a half centimeters in width and four in length. Each fruit contains four to eight seeds, and they are all concentrated around the central nucleus. And sometimes you can come across seeds deprived of seeds.
Mabolo is the Filipino name for the fruit, which was given to them for their "furry" appearance (all fruits are covered with tiny hairs). Also, this exquisite culture is called "Blanco persimmon" - this name it acquired in honor of the monk and botanist Blanco, who was born in Spain. This man was one of the first to write a manuscript on the beautiful nature of the Philippines.
Where grows
The homeland of Mabolo is the Philippines. Now this crop is grown in distant Malaysia, sunny Indonesia, as well as in the Antilles (in particular, in Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Jamaica with Cuba).
Currently, mabolo is endangered, so this fruit is reliably protected by Philippine law. To take mabolo out of the country, you will need to obtain permission from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, as well as from the Forestry Bureau.
Application
The edible fruits of juicy mabolo are fried in oil, stewed in syrup and added to fruit salads. The peel of these fruits should be removed before use, as its surface is covered with tiny hairs that can quite irritate the sensitive mucous membrane of the mouth and extremely sensitive skin.
In folk medicine, a decoction is prepared from the bark and leaves of mabolo, which is used as an anesthetic. Moreover, such a decoction is an excellent assistant in the treatment of cough.
Juice from unripe mabolo fruits helps to cope with diarrhea, and therefore it is widely used in Southeast Asia. And on the territory of Bangladesh, Mabolo is recommended to be consumed by all those suffering from diseases of the eyes and cardiovascular system.
The calorie content of mabolo is about 67 kcal for every 100 g of these attractive fruits.
Dark, dense and extremely hard mabolo wood has long been used for the manufacture of a wide variety of products. By the way, for the unprecedented strength of wood, mabolo is often called an iron tree. And from an extremely rare variety of black ebony, wooden weapons and furniture are made.
