Moraceae Pineapple is an evergreen fruit tree and tree. Also known as tree pineapple and jackfruit. The scientific name is Artocarpus hetero-phyllus Lam. (A.integra (Thunb.) Merr.; A.in-tergrifolia Forst.; A.intergrifolius Auth.). There are about 10 species of fruit trees in the genus A. champeden (Lour.) Spreng., A. gomezima Wall., and Breadfruit (A. altilis Fosberg.). . These species can all be rootstocks for each other. Produced in China are A. li-ngnanensis Merr., A. hypargytea Hance., A. nitidus Trec., etc. The fruits are edible and can be used as rootstocks for each other.
Origin and Distribution
The wood pineapple is native to India. Later it was introduced to Malaysia, Indonesia, Arabia, Reunion and Mauritius. It was introduced to Brazil and the Caribbean countries in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical lowlands all over the world, with India having the longest cultivation history and the largest area.
China has cultivated wood pineapples for more than a thousand years. It has been recorded in "Youyang Zazu" (9th century) of the Tang Dynasty. "Guangdong General Chronicles" and "Qiongzhou Prefecture Chronicles" (1511) record: "In the Suliang period (Southern Dynasties, 502~557), Sikong of Damei in the Western Regions brought seeds. What was sown in the South China Sea...has been distributed elsewhere since then." It is now cultivated in the tropical and subtropical areas of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian and Taiwan, with the most cultivation in Hainan.
Characteristics and characteristics
10 to 20 meters high or more. With white milk. The bark is dark brown. The branches have annular stipule marks. Single leaves are alternate, thickly leathery, oval or obovate, 12 to 22 cm long, 6 to 9 cm wide, with blunt apex, wide wedge-shaped base, entire edge (some leaves are 3-lobed in the seedling stage), hairless on both sides, and rough on the back. The petiole is 1.5 to 2 cm long. Fruiting branches grow on the main trunk and thick branches or thick side branches. The flower head is terminal or axillary, monoecious; the female inflorescence is 4 to 15 cm long, 3 to 5 cm in diameter, bright green, and is located lower than the male inflorescence on the same fruiting branch; the male inflorescence is about 5 cm long and 3 to 5 cm in diameter. About 2 cm, the surface is smooth and dark green; the flowers are small and white. The fruit is large, ellipsoid or spherical, weighing 4 to 20 kilograms or more, with hexagonal tumor-like protrusions on the outer skin, and has a strong aroma when ripe; the achene is oval or ellipsoid, flat, about 3 cm long, and its aril Developed from petal lobes, it is fleshy or pulpy, golden yellow, sweet and smooth when eaten fresh, and has a special honey aroma. The seeds are light brown, oval or long-ovate, and taste like chestnuts when cooked (see picture). The flowering period is from February to April. The fruit ripening period is from June to August.
Wood pineapple likes lowland environments with high temperature and humidity, and grows in lowlands with an altitude of less than 600 meters. The annual average temperature is ≥21℃, the average temperature of the coldest month is ≥13℃, and the absolute minimum temperature is >0℃. Flowers and fruits can still bloom in places with occasional light frost. The soil requirements are not strict, but it does not grow well in places that are too dry, barren or often subject to low temperature frosts. It should be cultivated in low hilly land or flat land with high temperature and humidity, fertile and loose soil, and good drainage. The cultivation results are best around the cottage.
Main varieties
China’s wood pineapples come in two categories: dry bales and wet bales. When the dry packaged fruit is mature, the peel is soft and tough, the papillae of the peel are generally flat, and the aril is fleshy, crispy, and has a good flavor; the papilla of the wet packaged peel is generally sharp, and when mature, the peel is not tough and easy to break. The seed coat is almost pulpy and sticky. Due to the long-term use of seeds for propagation, there are large differences in fruit size, shape, aril thickness, flavor and leaf size among different plants. It usually blooms in spring and bears fruit once a year, but some bloom and bear fruit all year round. It is rarely cultivated in large areas in China, and there are no fixed varieties.
Key points of cultivation techniques
Propagation can be done by seeds, branch circles or grafting (patch budding). Because seedlings sown from seeds have few fibrous roots, it is difficult to survive transplantation. Most of them are sown by direct seeding, or seedlings are grown in containers and planted with soil. Pineapple seeds are not storage-resistant and should be sown immediately after harvesting. It is better to sow seeds with a rounded top and base in the middle part of the fruit. Small pineapples aged 8 to 11 months are the best as rootstocks. The spacing between planting rows is 8 to 12 meters. With enough fertilizer and water, the plants grow quickly. Flowering and fruiting generally occur 3 to 8 years after planting. Farmers often cut tree trunks with knives to promote flowering and fruiting.
If there are too many and too dense fruits, the fruits should be thinned out. Mature fruits are not resistant to storage and transportation.
Economic value
Pineapple pulp contains more than 15% sugar and is also rich in protein and vitamin A. It can be eaten fresh, made into juice, jam or preserves, and can also be used to make wine. The seeds are rich in starch and can be boiled, baked, fried or fried. They are as delicious as chestnuts. When cooked with lean meat, they can treat postpartum lactation deficiency in women. The unripe fruits can be used as dishes. Some countries make food. The wood does not deform after drying, is orange-yellow, has beautiful texture, and can be used to make high-end furniture. The wood pineapple tree has a beautiful shape, fast growth, and is a good greening tree species. It is suitable for development in tropical and warm subtropical areas.