Garcinia humilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garcinia humilis |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Garcinia
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humilis
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The Achacha (also known as Garcinia humilis or achachairú) is a small tree that grows lots of tasty fruit. It's related to the mangosteen, another yummy fruit. Achacha trees originally grew in the southern Amazon area, mostly in Bolivia. Recently, people have started growing them in large farms in Burdekin, Australia. The Achacha fruit even won third place at a big fruit show in Berlin in 2012!
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What the Achacha Fruit Looks Like
The Achacha fruit is very pretty with its bright colors and cool shape. It looks like an egg and is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long and 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) wide. When it's ready to eat, it turns a lovely reddish-orange color. Inside, you'll usually find one large, coffee-colored seed. Sometimes, bigger fruits might have more than one seed.
How to Eat Achacha Fruit
The Achacha fruit has a unique taste that is both sweet and a little bit sour, like lemonade. The skin is quite tough and has a bitter taste, so you don't eat it. You can open the fruit by carefully splitting the rind with a knife or even with your teeth. Once it's open, you can suck the yummy fruit pulp right off the seed.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture found that Achacha fruit stays fresh for about four to six weeks. But there's a trick: you need to keep it out of the fridge! They suggest storing the fruit in a cool room, around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (59 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit), where the air is a bit humid. If it's too dry or too cold, the fruit might shrivel up.
You can also make a refreshing drink from the bright orange rinds! Just put the rinds in a blender with some water. Blend it until it's smooth, then strain it to remove any bits of rind. You can then add more water and sugar to taste, and chill it for a cool summer drink.
When is Achacha Season?
You can find Achacha fruit at different times of the year depending on where it grows. In Bolivia, the season is usually from November to January. In Australia, you can enjoy Achacha from December until the middle of March.
See also
In Spanish: Garcinia humilis para niños
