Chamburro
Vasconcellea stipulata

Family: Caricaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 8 m tall. It can have spiny stems. The flowers are deep yellow. The fruit are 10 cm long. They have no ridges and a fairly smooth skin.

There are at least 22-40 species of Carica.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is native to mid altitude zones in Ecuador. It grows between 1,600-2,500 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Central America, Ecuador, Peru, South America

How it is used for food

If the fruit are sweet they are eaten raw. They can have a high papain content. Other fruit are preserved in sugar or made into jams, sauces or drinks. The fruit are normally peeled.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants have cropped reliably for 20 years. Fruit weigh about 40-150 g.

Its other names

Local names

Jigacho de monte, Sigaton, Siglalon, Toronche

Synonyms

Carica stipulata V. Badillo;