Jocote
Spondias purpurea L.
Common names
English (great hog plum, red mombin, purple mombin, chilli plum, Mexican plum); Spanish (Jocote, ciruela, ciruela del pais, jobillo); Indonesian/Malay (kedondong)
Foods
Jocote fruit, leaves and seeds
Quantity: 1 Plants | Frequency: Monthly | Difficulty: Easy | Usefullness: High
Infographics
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Dimensions in meters 15 m
Maturity of tree before yields 4-5 years
Productivity lifetime N/A
Seasonality In Southeast Asia, fruits generally ripen between June–July, but this can vary depending on the region. In Guatemala, fruits can be harvested during almost any season
Production zones and cultivation methods The species grows in dry areas with shallow, loamy soils and lots of sunlight. In the American tropics, S. purpurea is a commercial fruit crop that is easily propagated from seeds and cuttings. It and other Spondias species are also cultivated by smallholders as subsistence crops; the fruit’s high vitamin A and C content offers vital micronutrients and diet diversification.
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Per 100 g edible portion (EP)
Jocote is a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin A and is an excellent source of vitamin C. In fact, its vitamin A content is higher than that of cashews, guavas and some papaya and mango cultivars. It also contains good levels of potassium, iron and calcium. A single 100 g edible portion (EP) of Jocote would provide 63% of the potassium requirements for children 4-6 years old. The same EP of Jocote fruit also has more energy (kcal) than 100 g of mangos, peaches or plums.
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Jocote fruits are native to the area that stretches from southern Mexico to northern Peru and parts of north-coastal Brazil. They are most commonly found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Panama. However, they can be found growing throughout the West Indies and in the Bahamas as well.
They are also popular in much of tropical Asia including Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.
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The plant grows best in the subhumid and frost-free tropics at an elevation up to 2,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 13 - 35°c. The plant is not frost tolerant. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,100mm, but tolerates 600 - 1,800mm.
For good fruit set it requires growing conditions with a marked dry season of up to 6 months. Requires a sunny position. Plants are not too fussy over soil, so long as it is well-drained. It does not need very fertile conditions, however very poor soil, or shallow land, is unsuitable. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 8. Seedling plants can start producing fruit when about 4 - 5 years old, whilst cuttings can commence when 2 - 3 years old.
Fruits can be obtained in Guatemala at almost any season of the year. Several named forms have been developed in Guatemala. Flowering Time: Late Winter/Early Spring Mid Spring Late Spring/Early Summer. Bloom Color: White/Near White Cream/Tan.
Jocote on the farm
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S. purpurea is a member of the cashew family whose leaves, seeds and fruits are edible. The fruits have a flavour resembling that of plums and can be eaten raw or cooked with sugar to make jams and ice cream. While it is usually eaten ripe, some prefer to eat the sour, green fruit before it reaches maturity. These green fruits can also be blended into a tart sauce.
One of the most famous recipes for Jocote is Nicaraguan Almibar, a fruit syrup that can also be made from mangos. Traditionally known as Curbasa, the syrup is prepared by boiling Jocote together with papaya, currents, cinnamon and cloves. The sweet dessert is especially prepared for Easter celebrations in Nicaragua.
Jocote trees have long been cultivated by Mesoamerican Indigenous populations who domesticated the current species for food and medicine over thousands of years. The leaves of S. purpurea have been shown to exhibit anti-bacterial properties, and its leaf juice can reportedly be taken orally to treat swollen glands. Depending on the region, various parts of the plant including its bark have been used to treat dysentery diarrhoea, headaches and sore throats.
Live trees are also used to create hedges that fight against soil erosion, making it a good species for landscape restoration. In addition, the sap or gum from the tree can be used as glue. This glue has also been used medicinally in combination with sapote or pineapple to treat jaundice.
The fruit also has several non-food and medicinal uses. Its wood ash can be used to make soaps and the raw wood is good for papermaking. In addition, the branches are easily cut and make an ideal woodfuel, which many communities rely on to do their daily cooking.
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Improves the Immune system:
Jocotes consists of iron and nutrients like minerals and vitamins A, B, and C which collectively enhance and boost your immune system.
Aids in weight loss:
Jocotes are appetite depressants since they contain a large number of fibers and high concentrations of vitamins, so it helps delay the appetite and improve digestion and weight loss.
Source of energy:
As Jocotes are rich in iron and carbohydrates they help to restore the ATP in the body. They make you active because they flush the accumulation of lactic acid that can cause fatigue. Therefore, athletes and other hyperactive people are recommended this fruit.
Resists Anemia:
Anemia is the hemoglobin count of less than 12g/100ml of blood and iron deficiency is its leading cause. So you can combat or resist anemia if you regularly use Jacotes.
Relieves Cramp and Spasm:
Jocotes are a good supplier of calcium and potassium. The deficiency of these minerals disturbs the common pathway of muscular contractions in lower abdominal muscles and thus cause spasm related to periods and otherwise and those spasms to cause cramps. So this little Jocote fruit if taken properly can give you riddance of the cramps and spasms by fulfilling the deficiency.
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The leaves exhibit anti-bacterial properties. The leaf juice is taken orally in the treatment of swollen glands and trauma. The crushed leaves are applied as a poultice to treat headaches. In large amounts, the fruit is laxative and is used as a treatment for constipation The plant is also used to treat dysentery and diarrhoea, whilst parts of the plant are used in the preparation of a herbal remedy for sore throat.
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Agroforestry Uses: They often are planted for living fence posts, being one of the best of all trees for the purpose in the tierra caliente. Even quite large limbs when cut and set in the ground take root quickly, and often are set thickly to form immediate barriers. Other Uses In some regions the ashes of the wood are used in soap-making. Some cosmetic and hygienic products eg soap are manufactured from parts of this tree. The seeds have a thick gum coating commonly used in chilli stews. This gum has good solubility in water and on hydrolysis yields polysaccharides. Aspartic acid and valine are its major amino acid constituents. The whitish wood is soft, light in weight and brittle. It is said to have been used in Brazil for paper pulp[331 ]. The easily cut and brittle branches are potential fuel wood[303 ].
Sources
https://www.foreststreesagroforestry.org/tree/spondias-purpurea/
https://healthiersteps.com/jocote/
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Spondias+purpurea