Fruit

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Banana

Just about everyone knows what a banana looks like, but not all know what the tree looks like and how to tell when the fruit is ready to be picked. Banana leaves are often mistaken for those of palms because of their wind-torn look. Bananas have clasping long leaf stalks with a single elongated terminal. Sexes are separate, females forming first. The flowers themselves are 5-parted and grow in 2 rows of 8 to 15, surrounded by a large dull maroon-colored bract. The female flowers ripen to become a bunch of bananas. Down from the bunch are the male flowers, which are not functional and abort early. Since the male does not pollinate the flowers, and fruit develop without pollination, no seeds are developed. Each banana plant flowers only once at 1½ years when the growing point stops making leaves, though new plants, or slips, grow up from the root. When the maroon, male flower drops, the bananas are ready to be picked. It is possible though, to leave the bananas to ripen on the vine. The Picture at bottom left shows the position of female flowers, the bananas, and of the male flower, the purple pod.

Carambola (Star Fruit)

Kenip

The Kenip tree is large with a usually straight trunk with many branches bearing many oval shaped leaves. It's fragrant flowers grow in clusters at branch ends. The male and female flowers usually appear on separate trees. Also found in clusters is its round fruit covered with a green leathery skin and edible pinkish acidic, but sweet inner pulp. Don't bite into it! The pulp holds a large white seed with a starchy kernel. The Kenip tree, a favorite to many, is native to northern South America and was introduced and naturalized elsewhere, including tropical Asia and Africa. It is possible that it reached this region by American Indians who migrated to these islands. Traditionally in the Virgin Islands, the leaves and stems were used internally as a treatment for coughs and fever, while the fruit was used to treat diarrhea. Locally, the fruit has also been used to make jelly and wine, and fruit kernels are occasionally roasted and eaten like nuts. Its wood has been used for construction and charcoal.

Mango

Though there are several types of mangoes, each one is sweet, juicy, and refreshing. The leaves are simple, alternate, and clustered at branch tips. They are narrow, pointed, glossy, short-stalked and about 12 by 3 inches. Mangoes are oval, often lop-sided and hanging green and then ripen to red, orange, purple-brown or yellowish, depending on variety. The wood and bark are resinous. Individual trees may flower one part of the tree at a time. The ripe fruit is thin-skinned and contains one large seed. The flesh is orange and sweet. It can be eaten raw or used for juices, jellies, preserves, chutney, it makes a great sorbet, too. Even the fruit while green yields an edible pulp. Plants usually bear 3 to 5 years after planting. Mangoes are of great importance as a fruit in the tropics, second only to bananas. They grow wild on the roadside and throughout the rainforest. However, unknown to most, the Mango tree is a relative to poison ivy. A person highly sensitive to poison ivy seems to have a reaction mostly with the green fruit.

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Papaya

A papaya tree can be spotted by its soft, greenish and hollow trunk topped with many spiraled, umbrella-like clusters of large leaves bearing pear shaped fruit. In the wild, papaya trees are either male or female. Occasionally, the male plant will bear flowers setting into fruit but usually the female bears the fruit. Plants sometimes begin flowering within 3 to 4 months from seed and will fruit for 2 to 3 years. The trees are rapid growers and survive shipping well, unlike many tropical fruits, which make them great for exporting. They are now commonly in northern markets. The fruit's ripe flesh is sweet and can be used in desserts, salads, juices, or even as a wonderful breakfast melon. The flesh contains an enzyme used as medicine and as a meat tenderizer. It is said that it is a safe non-surgical treatment for a slipped disc.

Sea Grape

Found by the sea and safe to use for shade, the sea grape can also be eaten when ripe. The leaves look like fans and can be used as such. Flowers are closely spaced and radiating at right angles from a stem that starts out erect but later hangs as fruit develops. The flowers are small, fragrant, and 5-pointed with flaring white petals. The grapes remain green and hard for a long time. Eventually, one at a time they change to their final color, a deep purple. They hang in bunches, each one has a single seed, and are about the size of regular grapes. When fully mature, they become soft and have a sweet-sour taste making them great for use in jams and jellies. It is possible to make an alcoholic beverage made from the grapes, similar to wine. It is not commonly found anymore but when it is, it is sweet and served chilled . The sap that seeps from the bark has been used in the treatment of digestive maladies and asthma.

Tamarind

The leaves of the Tamarind tree are alternate and plentiful, giving it a light green feathery look. They are each 1 inch long with parallel edges. Lumpy green, then brown round pods also fill the trees, an inch in diameter and varying in length. The bark is rough. Tamarind is native to Asia and Africa, and was brought to the Caribbean in the 1600's. It is now widely dispersed as a shade tree and also grown for its fruit and tight grained, durable wood. The Tamarind, high in vitamins A and C, has been used in medicine since the 11th century BC, as a laxative and to combat scurvy, and also in treatment of liver disorders and intoxications. The leaves are used for treating diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, and eye irritations. The acid pulp of the fruit can be eaten raw, but more commonly is made into a beverage, or used for chutneys, curries, candy and preserves. It can be stewed down and mixed with sugar, or rolled into a ball with sugar, cinnamon, and other spices, known as tamarind balls... a favorite treat to many local children.