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Parmentiera aculeata
Cuachilote (Parmentiera aculeata) is a small to medium evergreen or semi-deciduous tree from Mexico and Central America, grown for its edible fruit, shade and live fences. It needs warmth, full sun and well-drained soil, and is frost tender.
Parmentiera aculeata (synonym Parmentiera edulis), commonly known as cow okra, cuajilote, guajilote, huachilote, or pepino kat, is a species of flowering tree in the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to Mexico and Central America and is known primarily for its edible fruit and medicinal properties.
The pulp of the ripe fruit contains phenolic compounds and exhibits antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The juice of the fruit was found to encourage Lactobacillus growth.
An extract from the fruit was found to induce diuretic and antiurolithiatic effects in Wistar rats.
Parmentiera aculeata is native to central Mexico south to Nicaragua. It has been introduced to southern Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean, and is also cultivated in the United States, East Africa, Maritime Southeast Asia, and Australia. It has become an invasive species in northern Queensland.
P. aculeata is planted as an ornamental, shade tree and live fence throughout its native range. Its fruits are edible and are eaten either raw or cooked, and are sometimes pickled or made into preserves. Its flavor is reportedly similar to sugarcane. They are also used as cattle fodder in southern Mexico.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Parmentiera aculeata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
