Spondias mombin

Spondias mombin, also known as yellow mombin, hog plum, amra or cajazeira, is a species of tree and flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to the tropical Americas, including the West Indies. The tree was introduced by the Portuguese in South Asia in the beginning of the 17th century. It has been naturalized in parts of Africa, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, The Bahamas, Indonesia, and other Caribbean islands. It is rarely cultivated except in parts of the Brazilian Northeast. The mature fruit has a leathery skin and a thin layer of pulp. The seed has an oil content of 31.5%.

Description

A medium sized tree. It grows 20-30 m high. The trunk can be 0.5-2 m across. Branches start after 10-15 m. They are widespread and sparse. The leaves are compound. They have leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets are in pairs with a leaflet at the end. There are 5-9 pairs. The flowers occur on stalks near the ends of the branches. The fruit are small and yellow. They are 2.5-4 cm long. They have one large seed. The flesh is sub-acid.

Edible Uses

The fleshy fruit is pleasantly acid and can be eaten raw or cooked with sugar, and is also used for jams and ice cream. Juice improves with keeping overnight, as the mild astringency of fresh fruit fades. Unripe fruits are pickled and used like olives. The dull light orange to yellow or brown ovoid fruit is 30–40mm long and 20–25mm in diameter, with considerable variation in quality between regions — some fruit is sweet and pleasant, others quite disagreeable. Young leaves are cooked and used as a vegetable. Young shoots taste like cassava and can be eaten raw or boiled. The seeds are also edible. When fresh water is unavailable, water can be obtained by drinking sap from the roots.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are used fresh or cooked. They are acidic. They are also used for jams, jellies and ice cream. The fruit can be dried. Because it is sour it is often sweetened and used for drinks. The unripe fruit are pickled and eaten like olives. The young leaves are cooked and eaten.

Medicinal Uses

Both the bark and flowers are used in folk medicine to prepare cure-all teas for digestive tract ailments, lower back pain, rheumatism, angina, sore throat, malarial fever, congestion, diarrhoea, urethritis, metrorrhagia, and as a contraceptive. The bark is used to treat gonorrhoea, diarrhoea, coughs and colds, haemorrhages, stomach aches, and fatigue. Plant extracts exhibit antibacterial properties, and a decoction of the bark or root bark is considered antiseptic. The roots are regarded as febrifuge. An infusion is used to treat dysentery. Leaf decoctions treat diarrhoea, dysentery, colds, fevers, and gonorrhoea, and leaves also feature in an abortifacient preparation. A decoction of leaves and young stems is used as an eyewash for ophthalmia. The flowers are cardiac and stomachic; a floral decoction treats laryngitis, ophthalmia, and children's diarrhoea. The fruit is mildly laxative and is stewed and eaten to treat diarrhoea.

Known Hazards

None listed.

Distribution

It is tropical. It grows in the tropical lowlands. It will grow in wet or dry zones. It grows up to 1,000 m above sea level. In Bolivia it grows where rainfall is 1,000-1,500 mm per year. It cannot tolerate frost. In Cairns Botanical Gardens. It can tolerate a range of soils.

Where It Grows

Africa, Amazon, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Benin, Bolivia*, Brazil*, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Congo DR, Congo R, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba*, Dominica, Dominican Republic*, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti*, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Tahiti, Togo, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies*,

Cultivation

The plant grows best in the subhumid and frost-free tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 21 - 27°c, but can tolerate 13 - 35°c. The plant is severely damaged by frost. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 600 - 2,800mm. It can succeed in areas with widely distributed rainfall, or with a marked dry season. Requires a sunny position. Prefers a medium to heavy, well-drained, fertile soil. Plants are not too fussy over soil, not needing very fertile conditions. However, very poor soil, or shallow land, is unsuitable. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.3 - 8. A fast-growing tree, easily reaching a height of 3.5 metres within 2 years from seed. Fruiting usually starts when seedling trees are about 5 years of age, although well-kept cuttings may start fruiting earlier. Some ripe fruit can be found on the tree during most of the year. Plants produce a deep taproot when young and also have a shallower root system near the surface when older. Flowering Time: Late Winter/Early Spring Mid Spring Late Spring/Early Summer. Bloom Color: White/Near White Cream/Tan.

Propagation

Fresh seeds germinate well, typically within 35–75 days. Seeds are best sown as soon as ripe in a semi-shaded position in individual containers, where germination can be expected within 20–40 days. Seedlings develop rapidly and are generally ready to plant out within 6 months. The plant can also be grown from quite large cuttings of wood from the previous season or older, often 50–100cm long and 5–10cm thick.

Other Uses

The tree is occasionally planted to shade coffee plants and is sometimes used for living fence posts. Root ashes have been used in making soap. The heartwood is cream to buff, not clearly demarcated from the sapwood; texture is medium to coarse, grain straight to slightly irregular, with medium lustre and no distinguishable odour or taste. The wood is light and soft, somewhat durable, with low resistance to decay fungi and insects and particular susceptibility to blue stain. It air dries rapidly with moderate warp and slight checking, is easy to work, and generally finishes smoothly, though fuzzy grain may occur. Trunks are occasionally used for dugouts; stems are used for posts, boxes, matches, general carpentry, tool handles, millwork, utility plywood, and furniture components. Logs should be processed promptly to limit insect damage. The wood's hardness, density, and light colour make it suitable for pulp; resulting paper has good resistance to tension and tearing but poor folding strength. The wood also serves as fuel.

Production

It is fast growing. Plants can be 3.5 m high in 2 years. Fruit weigh about 20 g.

Other Information

Fruit are sold in markets. It is a cultivated fruit tree. It is commonly used in West Africa. Fruit tend to be available in the drier more hungry season.

Notes

It has antioxidants.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Abal, Abala, Acaia, Acaiba, Acaja, Acajaiba, An-lep, Atoa, Axocotl, Bafosse, Berneyu, Bijendenden, Budjabual, Bu lelu, Caia, Caja-mirim, Caja, Cajarana, Cajazeiro-miudo, Cedrillo, Ciruella amarilla, Ciruela mexicana, Echikala, Eyeye, Gajaja, Gajajeira, Gboji, Hobo, Hog-plum, Hubu, Imbuzeiro, Iweiwe, Iyeye, Jamaica-plum, Java-pumb, Jobo, Jocote, Jogo, Jogo subrure, Kadongdon china, Kadongdong chuchuk, Kadongdong sabrang, Kpaki, Lewo, Maga, Manipo, Mandiple, Mandipul, Mgba, Minkon, Mope, Mungiengie, Mungyenge, N'pela, N'pilo, Negae, Ninom-o, Nsuka kara, Nyakabu, Obo, Ogae, Pahara, Pepa de morrocoy, P'sale, Pilme, Pohon kedongdong mombin, Prunes-mombin, Sale, Same, Tapereba, Tchale, Troma, Ubos, Ugai, Umpela, Umpilo, Uposse, Usi arau, Uvuru, Yellow mombin

References (130)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 42
• Agbahoungba, S., et al, 2016, Ecological diversity and conservation of wild edible fruit trees species in the Lama Forest Reserve in Benin. Bois et Forets des Tropiques 2016, No. 329(3)
• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 2494
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 595
• Ambe, G., 2001, Les fruits sauvages comestibles des savanes guinéennes de Côte-d’Ivoire : état de la connaissance par une population locale, les Malinké. Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 5(1), 43-48

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