Bael Fruit

[RodneyS]

Tried a Bael fruit drink at a local Thai restaurant yesterday and enjoyed it immensely.  Quite refreshing.

I've heard the tree tolerates a wide range of temps & soils.  Does anyone grow Bael fruit?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I've got a bunch.

a few varieties from fruit and spice park...one tasted the best, so I marked it as better tasting.

there are many variations, some are much better tasting than others...seems like the more elongated fruits are harder to find and tastier.

to me it taste like a citrus, bubble gum, tamarind.

very nice.

[nullzero]

Sounds very interesting, another one I want to grow lol.

[FloridaGreenMan]

Here's a photo of the one from the Fruit & Spice Pk. The shell is as hard as wood. No insect damage ever! Grows and fruits well in SFLA  but very few grow it..... 
   

[nullzero]

Here's a photo of the one from the Fruit & Spice Pk. The shell is as hard as wood. No insect damage ever! Grows and fruits well in SFLA  but very few grow it..... 
   

Nice photo, how would you rate the fruit?

[Felipe]

I'm growing one seedling. So far, it behaves more or less like any other citrus tree; it likes acidic soil and fertilizer and heat. No idea about cold tollerance... I hope it doesn't take too long to fruit... 

[FloridaGreenMan]

Here's a photo of the one from the Fruit & Spice Pk. The shell is as hard as wood. No insect damage ever! Grows and fruits well in SFLA  but very few grow it..... 
   

Nice photo, how would you rate the fruit?

It tasted like a dried citrus-fig combination.  OK but not really that good. I would not grow the tree.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Noel,

Some varieties taste much better than the one in the photo (so I've heard).

They aren't as commonly grown in FL, as the round type that you photoed.

Matter of fact, I couldn't find such a tree a fruit and spice park, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a real rarity outside of it's native range (Asia/India?)

here is an excerpt referring to a superior cultivar named Mitzapuri, from Fruits of Warm Climates, that gives me hope.

"Rated the best was 'Mitzapuri', with very thin rind, breakable with slight pressure of the thumb, pulp of fine texture, free of gum, of excellent flavor, and containing few seeds."

Here's a photo of the one from the Fruit & Spice Pk. The shell is as hard as wood. No insect damage ever! Grows and fruits well in SFLA  but very few grow it..... 
   

Nice photo, how would you rate the fruit?

It tasted like a dried citrus-fig combination.  OK but not really that good. I would not grow the tree.

[FloridaGreenMan]

The fruit is popular for religious ceremonies in India. There must be some good eating varieties out there. Very few fruiting trees in the uSA.

[tabbydan]

Bael fruit can be eaten in a variety of stages: unripe, ripe, preserved.

The flavor profiles for both unripe and ripe are different, ripe seems less aromatic and complex but sweeter and with very little acidity.

Dried is typically used for tea and other beverages.

I think Bael fruit is quite a nice citrus relative.  I am trying to grow it.

[nullzero]

From online sources, it states the young leaves and shoots are edible as well. Always nice to have a plant with multiple parts that are edible.

[fruitlovers]

The fruit is popular for religious ceremonies in India. There must be some good eating varieties out there. Very few fruiting trees in the uSA.

You see the bael fruit here in India being sold in front of Shiva temples. It is used as a food offering in the temples. In India the fruit is used mostly as a medicinal. It's a great medicine for serious stomach ailments. Most of the bael fruits here are round shaped. In Thailand i've seen the elongated types which are much larger. It seems the fruits are more widely used in Thailand in drinks. They make good smoothies with them. The liquid inside is very viscous...similar to consistency of honey. I have a tree growing in Hawaii. It has sharp spines and is slow growing. The main challenge has been to keep slugs off the tree. They really like to chew young seedlings.