Mamoncillo, Spanish Lime, Guayo
Melicoccus bijugatus

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

Melicoccus bijugatus or commonly known as Mamoncillo is an evergreen and slow-growing fruit tree native to northern South America. It grows up to 25 m in height and up to 60 cm in trunk diameter. It has alternate, compound leaves comprised of four elliptic leaflets. The crown is round and dense. The think is smooth and light gray. The flowers are small and green. Aside from being planted as an ornamental tree, it is also popular for its edible fruits which are green drupes with a sweet or sour flavor. It can be consumed raw when ripe, or made into jams, pies, jellies, candies, etc. The seeds are large, usually roasted and used as cassava substitute. The wood of Mamoncillo is fairly hard and heavy, and ideal for cabinet work, construction, and interior works. Propagation is through seeds, air layering, or grafting.

Melicoccus bijugatus is an evergreen Tree growing to 18 m (59ft) by 18 m (59ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 18

Where it is found

Dry coastal limestone woodland. Along the sides of roads, secondary thickets and woodlands at elevations up to 600 metres in Jamaica.

Northern and western S. America - Colombia and Venezuela.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Colombia, Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa*, Central America, Colombia*, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Senegal, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is juicy, aromatic and somewhat sweet with a pleasant, acid flavour. A sweet and gelatinous pulp with a grape-like flavour. Usually eaten out of hand, they can also be cooked in pies, jams and jellies etc. They make a cooling drink. The fruit is up to 3cm in diameter, containing a single, occasionally two, large seed. The large, starchy seeds are roasted and used as a substitute for cassava. The elliptic seeds can be up to 28mm long.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 2

A decoction of the bark is widely used by local people to treat dysentery. An infusion of the leaves is used to decrease or retard perspiration.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antihydrotic: Reduces perspiration.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Other

Rating: 2

Seaside and Shade tree. Street tree. Specimen. Xerophytic. Other Uses The heartwood is light brown to pale yellow-gray; the sapwood light brown. The wood is of medium weight, fairly hard but does not resist decay. It is sometimes used for cabinet work, construction and interior works.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 13 - 34°c. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -3°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,600mm, but tolerates 500 - 2,700mm. Prefers a fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position, though it can also succeed in poor soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 8.7. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Plants can withstand the strongest salt-laden winds. Seedling plants take 7 - 10 years to begin fruiting. Cuttings can fruit in 4 - 5 years. The flowers are pleasantly scented and attract bees. There are some named varieties. Trees are intolerant of pruning. Some members of this species are hermaphrodite, whilst others can be dioecious. Most forms are dioecious, in which case it is necessary to grow both male and female forms if fruit and seed are required. Flowering Time: Late Winter/Early Spring Mid SSpring. Bloom Color: White/Near White. Spacing: 20-30 ft. (6-9 m).

Propagating it: Seed - seedlings often do not fruit as well as their parent. Air layering. Greenwood cuttings. Grafting.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 9-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Mamoncillo, Spanish Lime, Guayo, Honeyberry, Limoncillo, Genipe, Ginep, Ginip, Grosella de miel, Guayo, Guenepa, Guinep, Honey-berry, Kanappy, Kenep, Kinep, Limoncillo, Mamon, Mamoncilho, Pitomba-das-guianas, Quenep, ackee, genip, guinep, honeyberry, mamoncillo, quenepa, spanish lime,

Synonyms

Melicoccus bijuga L. Melicoccus carpopodea Juss. Paullinia sphaerocarpa Rich. ex Juss.