The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Guayaba on November 12, 2017, 10:27:33 AM
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Well not exactly hunting since I only had to walk out on the patio, but waiting the 10 months for the fruit to ripen is almost like hunting. I pass by the plant almost every day and after a while I forget that the fruit is even there. This weekend I smelled a strong fruity fragrance and it took me a moment to realize that one of the delicious monster fruits was ripe and starting to fall apart. A couple more fruit are just about ripe and are beginning to hang down.....just about ready to cut. I cut them and leave them on a plate on the kitchen counter to let the raphides and trichosclereids of calcium oxalate break down, so the fruit is not painful to eat. I really like the flavor....a bit like pineapple, banana, and mango/peach. Just wish there was more to the fruit than a spoonful at a time.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/4j6zl382d/IMG_4660.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4j6zl382d/)
(https://s18.postimg.cc/hal5rlpk5/IMG_4658.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/hal5rlpk5/)
(https://s18.postimg.cc/70iqse29h/IMG_4641.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/70iqse29h/)
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I have recently observed two locations where a number of seedlings were found under the Monstera plant. About 6-8 small plants were found in each case. It appears that this fruit self sows fairly easily, but may take some time to do so.
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I stand them in a glass jar and put another on top to keep flies away. I eat 2 to 3 inches a day as the scales fall. I take them off the cob very cleanly using a salad fork. That leaves most of the irritating black specks off the fruit.
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A delicious "survival food". Only a bit at a time is ready.
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Monstera grows feral everywhere in my area. You can't drive a block without seeing one and my neighbor has a huge patch of them that has spread and multiplied with utter neglect to cover and area of at least 30 square feet. I'm thinking of going digfging some up to plant out in a problem area as an ornamental They're as tough as nails and provide a good habitat for green tree frogs here in Australia. Great for cooling off a hot area.
I'm not a huge fan of the fruit owing to the little spiky black hair things.
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A delicious "survival food". Only a bit at a time is ready.
Yes its tempting to take off a bit more than one should, it needs to be very very ripe for me, if not, I get a nasty throat irritation, itchy throat, that persisted for more than a day.
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I have recently observed two locations where a number of seedlings were found under the Monstera plant. About 6-8 small plants were found in each case. It appears that this fruit self sows fairly easily, but may take some time to do so.
Good that you have seen seedlings! I guess it is more common overtaking habitat than I thought.
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Monstera grows feral everywhere in my area. You can't drive a block without seeing one and my neighbor has a huge patch of them that has spread and multiplied with utter neglect to cover and area of at least 30 square feet. I'm thinking of going digfging some up to plant out in a problem area as an ornamental They're as tough as nails and provide a good habitat for green tree frogs here in Australia. Great for cooling off a hot area.
I'm not a huge fan of the fruit owing to the little spiky black hair things.
I have also seen Monstera taking over hillsides on the island of Kawaii. It seems to be everywhere in many canyons near developments. Easily managed here in California. You are right about how tough this plant is. I trim and hack it back all the time.
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Grows wild here too. Climbs all the way up coconut trees. The fruit ripening can be speeded up by placing the fruits in a closed brown paper bag.
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I loved mine when I grew it in my greenhouse, and ate the fruit all the time. I finally ripped it out, since it was taking over the entires greenhouse and blocking the sun from all the other plants!
Carolyn