2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Cocoon (Latin Solanum sessiliflorum) Is a fruit shrub belonging to the Solanaceae family. Cocoon is often called the Orinox apple.
History
The first acquaintance of Europeans with a bizarre cocoon took place in 1760 - this funny fruit was discovered in the Orinoco river basin by a Spanish traveler named Apolinar Diez de la Fuente. And the Indians cultivated this plant in the fields along with beans and corn.
Then, already in 1800, the French botanist Ame Bonpland and Alexander Humboldt, the great German scientist, discovered solid thickets of cocoons during their travels in the Orinoco and Amazon. In addition, they noted that this fruit was very popular among the local population. And then they paid attention to this culture only in the middle of the 20th century.
Description
The cocoon is a rather pretty herbaceous shrub that grows up to two meters in height and is endowed with velvety oval leaves, which are about 38 cm wide and about 45 cm long. And the stems of this culture are abundantly covered with sharp thorns.
Cocoons can be oval or round. On average, their length is 2.5 - 4 cm, and the width is about 6 cm. The thin skin of unripe fruits is covered with a light fluff, and as they ripen, they become smooth and turn purple, red or yellow. A thin layer of creamy and fairly dense flesh can be found directly under the bitter skin. In addition, inside each fruit, you can find a jelly-like yellowish nucleolus, consisting of a huge number of flat small seeds. The average duration of fruit ripening is about one hundred and twenty days.
Wild varieties of cocoons differ in rather small fruits and are covered with miniature thorns, and their cultivated compatriots are devoid of seeds and are larger-fruited.
Where grows
The homeland of cocoons is the Amazonian part of South America and Argentina. It can be seen especially often on the slopes of the Andes. Now this plant is widely cultivated in Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and several other countries of Latin America.
Unfortunately, the cocoon is not supplied to Russia - the harvested fruits do not tolerate transportation very well, as they crumble very quickly. True, breeding work is currently underway to develop cocoons suitable for transportation. And some Russian gardeners are trying to grow a cocoon as an exotic plant.
Application
Peeled fruits are most often eaten fresh. They are no less actively used in the preparation of various sauces and salads. Also, wonderful juices, jellies, jams and marmalade are obtained from cocoons. And unripe fruits can be pickled in the same way as tomatoes.
The juice of this fruit contains substances that help lower blood cholesterol levels (of course, this is possible only with regular use of the juice). And the Indians from East Peru actively use the juice to get rid of lice.
The fruits of cocoons serve as an excellent fortifying agent - they are recommended to be eaten in the postoperative period or in case of anemia.
Cocoon is also distinguished by a rather high content of niacin, which in turn makes it an irreplaceable assistant in the treatment and prevention of various ailments of the nervous system. And due to the low calorie content of the fruits, they can be safely consumed by people on a diet.
Contraindications
There are currently no contraindications to the use of this tropical fruit. However, one should not completely exclude the possibility of allergic reactions and individual intolerance.
