DICELLA BRACTEOSA – DICELLA NUCIFERA

POPULAR NAMES: CASTANHA DE CIPÓ, AMENDOIM DE CIPÓ, CHESTNUT VINE, PEANUT VINE

MALPIGHIACEAE

 

 

INDIGENOUS NAME: Guayaki manduví comes from the Tupi-Guarani and means "almond fruit that irritates" is derived from manduví-nut or peanut, yakí - to stick, which irritates the bristles at mention of the shell to penetrate the skin causing itching.

Origin: South America, Argentina, Paraguay and Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul.

Characteristics:  A climbing stem winder of vigorous growth, with simple, opposite and pubescentes (covered with hair), white on the underside. The flowers are forming in axillary racemes (small clusters)  with flowers of 5 petals which are becoming from yellow to red after fertilization.

Planted in the site of Frutas Raras: October 2005, bear fruit for the first time in March 2007.

Tips for cultivation: Fast growing climbing plant that resists  low temperatures to -4°C (25°F) and thrives from sea level to altitudes above 1,000 m (3,333 feet). The soil should be deep, moist, neutral, with sandy or clay formation (red soil). You must plant at least 2 plants for better production. And we must make a espalier with horizontal wires forming a mesh of 40 cm (1 1/3 feet) between wires.

Propagation: The seeds are fragile and therefore need not be removed from the husk or fruit to germinate. Germination occurs in 10 to 30 days in any type of substrate rich in organic matter and is ready for planting in 3 months after sowing. It begins to bear fruit after planting in the age of 1 year in the case of Dicella bracteosa and Dicella nucifera and starts to product in the age of 2 years.

Planting: Can be planted in full sun and shade in forests with large trees well spaced. Space between plants 4 x 4 m (13 feet). The espalier should be made of 6 pillars in distances  of 2 to 3 m (6 to 10 feet) between them, with height of 1.60 m (5 1/3 feet) to ease the harvesting of fruits. Add into the hole 1 kg of lime and ash  and 8 liters organic matter. Water every fifteen days during the first 3 months, if water is lacking.

Cultivating: Make only the formation of crown pruning and remove the shoots that were grown from the base of the stem, the branches are to line out until they are fixed at the espalier. Fertilize with organic compost, may be (4 liters) poultry litter + 50 g of NPK 10-10-10 in the months of November and December, distributed them to 30 cm from the trunk. 

Uses:  The almonds resemble the taste of peanut, ideal for consuming in-natura. You should only be careful to remove  the shell that has bristles that can enter the skin and cause irrigations.

Flowering in the site of Frutas Raras: November to March.

Fruiting in the site of Frutas Raras: February to May.

 

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