Diospyros blancoi

Mabolo, Velvet Apple or (locally) kamagong (Diospyros blancoi) is a plant of the genus of ebony trees and persimmons, Diospyros. Its edible fruit has a skin covered in a fine, velvety fur which is usually reddish-brown, and soft, creamy, pink flesh, with a taste and aroma comparable to fruit cream cheese(the aroma of the fruit itself, however, is unpleasant, comparable to rotten cheese or cat feces; inspiring names like the french "Caca de Chat" in Reunion). It is native to the Philippines, where kamagong usually refers to the entire tree, and mabolo is applied to the fruit.

Junior synonyms of D. blancoi are:

• Cavanillea philippensis Desr.
• Diospyros discolor Willd. (nom. illeg.)
• Diospyros philippensis (Desr.) Gürke (nom. illeg.)

Cultivation

It is a dioecious tropical tree that grows well in in a diversity of grounds, from the sea level to the 2,400 feet above sea level. Seed trees are normally planted 30 or 45 feet from each other; this one can be planted from 25 to 30 feet from each other. It needs a good distribution of rainfall through the year. Trees that were planted by seeds could take 6 or 7 years to give out fruit, but trees that were propagated by cuttings produce fruit in 3 or 4 years. It is a very productive tree. In Puerto Rico it produces through the months of August and October. In Cebu, Philippines there is a barangay named after the fruit itself. In Bangladeshi it is known as 'bilati gab' (=foreign gab).

The fact that fruits vary greatly - in shape, color, hairiness and taste - suggest that there is a great deal of genetic variation in the plant. Seedless cultivars exist, and are highly favored since in the normal varieties the large seeds occupy a considerable volume of the fruit.

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Diospyros_blancoi Diospyros blancoi] at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Diospyros blancoi at Wikispecies