Cimarrón plum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cimarrón plum |
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| The drupe | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyrtocarpa
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| Species: |
edulis
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| Synonyms | |
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Tapirira edulis T. S. Brandegee |
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The Cimarrón plum or Cape wild-plum (scientific name: Cyrtocarpa edulis) is a special type of tree. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. This tree is known for its thick, fleshy stems and twisted branches. It also grows a tasty, edible fruit. You can only find this plant growing naturally in Baja California Sur, a state in Mexico.
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What does the Cimarrón plum look like?
These trees or shrubs can spread out wide. They usually grow between 5 to 8 meters (about 16 to 26 feet) tall. The bark is smooth and light grey.
The trunk is thick and succulent, meaning it can store water like a cactus. It can be up to 2/3 of a meter (about 2 feet) wide! If the plants grow on sand dunes, they might stay low to the ground.
The leaves are made up of smaller parts, like a feather. They are 4 to 10 cm (about 1.5 to 4 inches) long. Each leaf has 7 to 11 small, oval-shaped leaflets.
The flowers are white with a hint of green. This tree has separate male and female flowers. The female flowers have 5 petals and are about 1.5 to 3 mm long.
The fruit is called a drupe, which is a fleshy fruit with a hard pit inside, like a peach. It's shaped like an oval and is about 1.5 to 2 cm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. When the fruit is ready to eat, it changes color from green to yellow.
Types of Cimarrón plum
Scientists have found two slightly different types, or "varieties," of the Cimarrón plum:
- Cyrtocarpa edulis var. edulis — This is the most common type, also called the Cape wild-plum. Its leaves, flowers, and fruits have tiny hairs on them.
- Cytrocarpa edulis var. glabra — This type is known as the Cape smooth wild-plum. The word "glabra" means smooth, because this variety does not have hairs on its leaves, flowers, or fruits.
Both types grow in the same areas. However, the smooth variety is found in a smaller area, mostly along the Pacific coast.
Where does the Cimarrón plum grow?
This tree mostly grows in the Cape Region of Baja California Sur in Mexico. You can also find it in the mountain ranges there. It grows on nearby islands too, like San Jose, Espiritu Santo, and Cerralvo. These islands are in the southern Gulf of California.
The Cimarrón plum likes sandy plains and slopes. It often grows in dry, tropical forests or in places with deep soil in the mountains. It doesn't like shady spots in the foothills. It is also sensitive to very cold winter temperatures in the highlands.
How is the Cimarrón plum used?
The Cimarrón plum has become popular in gardening. The Huntington Botanical Gardens started sharing it in 2021. You can grow new plants from its seeds or from cuttings (pieces of its branches). Its branches are thick enough to grow roots easily.
The fruit of the Cimarrón plum is edible and is eaten by local people. Since this tree can handle dry conditions, it might become an important fruit crop for places with little rain.
See also
In Spanish: Cyrtocarpa edulis para niños
