Diospyros discolor
A. DC.
Mabolo, Velvet apple
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Description
A large tree. It can grow to 20 m or more high. Often it is only a small tree. It is a spreading tree with drooping branches. The leaves are smooth but covered with fine soft hairs. They are 7.5-22.5 cm long by 2.5-7.5 cm wide. The leaves are dark green on the top surface and copper coloured underneath. Flowers are in small clusters of 2-3 together in the axils of leaves. Both male and female flowers occur. These are on separate trees. The flowers are cream and have a slight scent. The fruit are round and 5-8 cm across. The fruit colour is pink to brown. It can be dark red or purple. The fruit have short silky hairs and have the sepals still attached. The flesh is white and sweet but has a cheesy unpleasant smell. The fruit are like a flat persimmon but have a velvety appearance. Often fruit contain many large seeds. Seedless fruit also occur.
Edible Uses
The ripe fruit flesh is eaten raw after removing the hairs and skin. The fruit can also be made into jellies or juice.
Traditional Uses
The fruit is eaten fresh or made into jellies or juice. The fleshy portion of the fruit is eaten raw when ripe. The hairs and skin are removed.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
A tropical and subtropical plant. It suits the hot humid tropical lowlands. Mature trees can withstand light frost for short times. Young trees do not tolerate low temperatures. It is better to have trees in sheltered places protected from cold winds. Slightly acid, moist and free draining soils are best. It can grow in sun or light shade. It cannot tolerate salt. Plants grow naturally in the Philippines. It is common and widely distributed in the forests of the Philippines. It has become established wild in the bush in the Gazelle Peninsula of Papua New Guinea. It grows from sea level to 200m altitude in Taiwan. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.
Where It Grows
Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Guiana, Guyana, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, PNG, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, St Lucia, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies,
Cultivation
They are cultivated for the fruit popularly known as mabalo. Trees are mostly grown from seed. Plants are normally grown from seed. A spacing of 5 m is needed. Trees should be left unattended prior to flowering. It is possible to do grafting and air-layering.
Production
A slow growing tree. It may take three years for seedling trees to be large enough to transplant. Fruiting is not normally seasonal. Fruit ripening takes 2-4 months from flowering.
Other Information
The fruit are popular and widely used and sold. It is a cultivated food plant. At present only of minor importance in some coastal areas of Papua New Guinea. It is better suited to Papua New Guinea than the Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki ).
Notes
There are about 485 species of Diospyros mostly in the tropics.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 77 | 210 | 50 | 0.8 | — | — | — | — |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Bilayati gab, Bisbul, Buah choklat, Buah lemak, Buah mantega, Buah mentaga, Buah sakhlat, Butterfruit, Camagong, Chalta, Hong nhung, Kadiba, Kadiba-thi, Kamagong, Marit, Persimo, Persimonio, Pohon bisbul, Tabang, Talang, Tayok-te, Yi se shi
References (64)
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- BARC, 2016, State of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
Show all 64 references Hide references
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