GENIPA AMERICANA

POPULAR NAMES: Jenipá, Jenipapo, Huito

RUBIACEAE

 

 

INDIGENOUS NAME: Genipapo comes from the Tupi-Guarani and means "fruit that stain or make dye" because the Indians used the fruit to paint the body.

Origin: Savannas and several forest formations throughout Brazil.

Characteristics: A large tree of the height of 10 to 35 m (33 to 137 feet), conical crown and gray trunk with white patches. The plant is hermaphodite but you need more plants for pollination to have good fruit. The leaves are lanceolate and 8 to 20 cm long, are density on the edge of the branches. The flowers are initially white, becoming yellow, as soon as they are pollinated, and flowers are formed in small terminals with 2 to  15 flowers.

Planted in the site of Frutas Raras: August 1998, bloomed for the first time in 2005 and not bear fruit. 

Tips for cultivation: A fast-growing shrub, assessing red clay soils with rapid drainage of rain water and around of pH 5.5,  is resistant to light frosts to -2°C (29°F), enjoys full sun and supports periodic flooding.

Propagation: Seeds are kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 year, germinate in 40 to 75 days in summer, and on substrate composed of 50% of soil, 30% of organic matter  and 20% of sand. You must plant at least three seedlings for better fruiting. They will start with the fruit 8  to 10 years after planting.

Planting: I recommend to plant in full sun in a space of 6 x 6 m (20 x 20 feet). Best planting time is October to December, to water 10 l of water after planting and every 15 days if no rain.

Cultivating: The plant grows fast and needs no special care, only the holes should be deep, to act a good development of root system. Make pruning to form. Fertilize containing organic compound, can be (8 liters) poultry litter + 50 g of NPK 10-10-10 doubling that amount every year until the 4th year. Distribute the nutrients to 5 cm in the depth, distance in circles of 50 cm from the trunk.

Uses: The fruits are consumed in natura, although it tastes very strong and used for the manufacture of liquor and nutritious juices.

Flowering in the site of Frutas Raras: November to December.

Fruiting in the site of Frutas Raras: October to December.

 

 

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