Sweet Santol Fruit Plants (Sandoricum Koetjape)

Sweet Santol (Sandoricum Koetjape):

Common Names: Cotton Fruit, Sentul, Santol, Kechapi, Kecapi, Kelampu, Ketjape, Ketuat, Lolly Fruit, Ranggu, Red Santol, Yellow Sentol

Botanical Name: Sandoricum Koetjape

General Information:

Native to tropical regions of Malaysia, Cambodia, and southern Laos.

Growth Characteristics:

Santol trees are favored ornamental home garden varieties.

Used in larger cities for their widespread limbs, providing shade along roadways.

One Santol tree can produce over 20,000 fruits in one year.

A fast-growing tree that may reach 150 feet in height.

Bears ribbed leaves and pink or yellow-green flowers.

Fruit Characteristics:

Range in shape from round to oval and somewhat flattened.

Leathery, wrinkled, and slightly fuzzy skin.

Ripens from green to golden yellow, occasionally with a crimson blush.

Pulp ranges in colour from clear to white, juicy, slick, and soft.

Consistency is similar to cotton.

Taste varies with maturity; the sweetest fruits have a candy-like taste with mild peach and apple notes.

Health Benefits:

Good source of fibre and iron. Contains vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus.

Used in traditional Indonesian medicine for treating helminthiasis, cough, stomach-ache, diarrhea, bloating, leucorrhoea, colic, and fever.

Cultivation Requirements:

Bloom Time/Fruiting: 2-3 Years.

Maintenance Required: Moderate.

In summary: Sweet Santol is a versatile fruit with a range of culinary uses and potential health benefits. Its adaptability to various regions and moderate maintenance makes it a valuable addition to tropical gardens.