Fruit and Vegetables from the Tropical Forest
How the Plants Are Used
The fruits of lipote are eaten fresh. They are also preserved in some areas of the Philippines (Laguna and Samar). Fruits are sold in Liliw, Laguna for about US$0.65/kg.
The Philippine version of the European chestnut (Castanea vulgaris) is C. philippensis. The trees of the Philippine chestnut are usually found in Quezon and Nueva Viscaya provinces. Mature nuts are available during the rainy season (from September to December). The nuts are cleaned and roasted in the same way as the European chestnut, and have a similar taste.
The processed unripe fruits of unggu are eaten in Liliw, Laguna in the same way as processed green olives. Unripe fruits are harvested in early September and ripe fruits are harvested later in the same month. Fruits cost about US$0.83/kg.
The young tender leaves of niog-niogan are cooked in the Bicol Region with coconut milk, and eaten with fish, meat or other vegetables and red peppers. In Laguna, the leaves can be sold for about US$0.74/kg.
Flowers of babagkong and kapas-kapas are used in meat and vegetable dishes in the central Philippines. The flowers are more expensive than vegetables such as cabbage, eggplants, or squash. They sell for about US$1.85/kg. The flowers of babagkong are abundant during the rainy season (June to December) while kapas-kapas flowers are common in summer (February to May).
Value of the Forest Food Plants
The ripe fruits of lipote are rich in Vitamin C. They are sweet and have a pleasant taste. Because of this pleasant taste, ripe fruits are eaten by various species of birds and fruit bats. The tree's brightly colored fruits make it an ideal ornamental plant. The leaves are not attacked by moth larvae, making this tree an excellent shade tree. The trees make a good windbreak in highland areas. This species can be used as a reforestation species because of its economic and ecological contribution. On the other hand, cultivating Philippine chestnut may help generate jobs, especially for tree farmers and related industries.
The unripe fruits of unggu are soaked in a brine solution for a week before they are eaten. The ripe fruits are sweet, which is why bats and birds like to eat them. Both ripe and unripe fruits are rich in Vitamin C.
Selling leaves of niog-niogan is profitable because the leaves command a higher price than ordinary vegetables. Growing the species is environmentally friendly because no chemicals are used in production. Trees can be established in a plantation. They can be used as an intercrop in agroforestry farms, or as hedgerows, windbreaks or boundary plantings. As a plantation crop, this tree can be established in denuded or degraded areas around the country.
Babagkong and kapas-kapas may be grown in backyards. Babagkong is propagated by seeds, and kapas-kapas by cuttings. Neither species needs any fertilizers or pesticides, thus, they are safe to eat. They are more nutritious than the common cultivated vegetables.
Index of Images
Figure 1 Lipote (Also Known As Jambolan Plum, Java Plum, Jambu) (Syzygium Cumini)
Figure 2 Gepas (Sarcandra Glabra)
Figure 3 Niog-Niogan, Also Known As Philippine Fig, Palm-like Fig, or Dracaena Fig (Ficus Pseudopalma)
Figure 4 Babagkong (Telosma Precumbens)
Figure 5 Kapas-Kapas, Also Known As Sugod-Sugod and Limbabao (Broussonetia Luzonica)
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