Byeonggyul facts for kids

The byeonggyul (say "byung-gyool") is a special type of citrus fruit. It's also known as Citrus platymamma. This unique fruit comes from Jeju Island in Korea. People in Jeju call it benjul.

History of Byeonggyul Trees

Ancient Byeonggyul Trees

There were two very old byeonggyul trees in a place called Doryeon-dong. These trees were so important that they were named "treasures of Jeju" in 1998. Sadly, one of the trees died in 2005.

The tree that survived is still standing today. It was made a "Natural Monument of South Korea" in 2011. Experts believe this amazing tree is about 250 years old! You can find it in Jeju Province.

Restoring an Old Orchard

In 2010, some byeonggyul trees that were about 80 years old were moved. They were taken to Geummul orchard. This orchard used to grow citrus fruits for the royal court during the Joseon Dynasty.

The orchard disappeared when the dynasty ended. But in 2010, the Seogwipo Agricultural Technology Center helped bring it back to life.

What Does "Byeonggyul" Mean?

The Name's Origin

The name byeonggyul in Korean and benjul in Jeju language are very similar. They both come from the same old Chinese characters. Byeong (甁) means "bottle," and gyul (橘) means "citrus fruit."

Why "Bottle Citrus"?

An old book from 1653, called Tamnaji, talks about byeonggyul. It says the fruit was sometimes called byeolgyul, meaning "peculiar citrus."

The author explained that people usually called it byeonggyul. This is because its shape is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. It looks a bit like an upside-down tiny bowl or a bottle.

About the Byeonggyul Plant

A Strong Citrus Tree

Scientists have studied byeonggyul and found it's related to sweet oranges and key limes. What's special about byeonggyul is that it's tougher than many other citrus fruits.

It can handle cold weather better. It's also more resistant to plant diseases and bugs.

How the Tree Looks

The byeonggyul tree usually grows to be about 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) tall. It spreads out about 2 to 2.5 meters (6.5 to 8 feet wide). Its branches are thick, thin, and low, making the tree look a bit like a large shrub.

The leaves are shaped like ovals with pointy ends. They are about 6.5 centimeters (2.5 inches) long and 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) wide. The tree has white flowers with five oval-shaped petals. It also doesn't have thorns, which is nice!

The Byeonggyul Fruit

The fruit itself has a bumpy, sweet-smelling rind, just like other citrus fruits. When it's ripe, the fruit is yellow to yellow-orange. It's about 72 millimeters (2.8 inches) long and 60 millimeters (2.4 inches) wide.

It has a unique shape, with a longer part at the bottom and a rounder, bulb-like end. Each fruit weighs around 105 grams (3.7 ounces).

How People Use Byeonggyul

Eating and Cooking

You can eat the juicy inside of the byeonggyul fruit fresh. The peel is also very useful! You can use it fresh or dried, either whole or grated (called zested).

Fresh byeonggyul zest is often used in Korean food. It adds flavor to dishes like tteok (rice cakes) or is used as a colorful garnish.

Traditional Remedies

Dried byeonggyul peel is commonly used to make tea. This tea was a popular home remedy in the past. People drank it to help with breathing problems, if they didn't feel like eating, or for minor stomach issues.