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Apricot apricot or apricot-country (Mammea americana L.) is a fruit tree native to the Greater Antilles. Its fruit is called apricot country or mamey.
Botanical description
Mammea americana is a dicotyledonium of the family Clusiaceae from the tropical regions of America. Some individuals carry only male flowers and are therefore unproductive, and others hermaphroditic flowers, functionally female (cryptic androdioecie). It is a generally medium-sized tree (10-15 m) that can reach 25 m, with leathery leaves. Its crown forms a broad rounded crown. The trunk has a dark brown bark.
Despite his name, which he draws from a resemblance between the color of his pulp and that of apricots, he has no relationship with the apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca L) known in Europe which is a tree of smaller size. the Rosaceae family.
Origin and distribution
Native to the Caribbean and more specifically to the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola and Jamaica, it is now found throughout tropical America and in tropical collections around the world. Habitat, ecology
It is a tree of tropical rainforests to very humid (annual rainfall of 1500 to 3000 mm) that likes the light and found in the plains and clearings. This tree, which can be 100 years old, is often used as a windbreak and as an alignment tree, despite its slow growth.
Multiplication
The multiplication is done traditionally by seeds, which germinate after 6 to 8 weeks. This technique of multiplication by seedling induces a great genetic variability within the populations, in particular with regard to the organoleptic qualities of the fruit. The flowering occurs then after 6 to 12 years. The grafting is easily carried out on seedlings of 8 to 10 months with plant material from productive plants, selected for the quality of their fruits. It makes it possible to accelerate the setting to fruits which is reduced to 3 or 4 years, and to constitute homogeneous orchards.
Fruit and use
The apricot-country is a climacteric edible berry with orange-bright pulp, acidulous and aromatic reminiscent of that of the apricot common. The fruit can reach 25 cm in diameter and weigh up to 4 kg. Its generally rough gray-brown skin is relatively thick. The flesh is particularly used in the making of fruit salads, refreshing drinks, ice cream, or jams. The fruit contains 1 to 4 seeds, which, grated and soaked in alcohol or coconut oil, are used in treatment against lice (presence of coumarin insecticide). This fruit has a high content of vitamin A (beta-carotene) (150 u.i. on average), but is low in calories (50 calories per 100 g of pulp)
Wood
The apricot-country wood is hard, heavy, very resistant to splitting, but gives poor sanding results. It has excellent mechanical qualities and can be used as lumber, or as a fence pile, despite its sensitivity to termite attacks.