RAMBUTAN FRUIT PLANTS.

RAMBUTAN FRUIT PLANTS.

Rambutan is another important fruit tree of humid tropics mostly confined to South East Asia
especially Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. In the recent past, this fruit has spread to
other humid parts of the world.

Rambutan is an important fruit tree humid regions of the South East Asia, especially
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. In the recent past, this tropical fruit has spread to other
humid tropical regions of the world including India. Rambutan, a medium sized evergreen
tree with an open structure growing 12-15 m high, is a native of the Malaysian Indonesian
region. It produces ellipsoidal fruits in clusters of long thick, soft, hairs or spines on the
surface these are known as rambutan (in Malay ‘rambut’ stands for hair). The hairy
outgrowth has eye catching red and yellow colors and it imparts a distinctive exotic
appearance to its fruits.

Bunches of rambutan fruits

The thin, leathery fruit skin is easily peeled away, revealing a pearly white, gelatinous, juicy
pulp (aril) surrounding a large seed. The pulp tends to be attached to the seed in some
varieties. In others, it can be readily separated. The translucent pulp is sweet or sub acid
with a refreshing flavour and is skin in many ways to litchi pulp. The fruits are a good source
of sugars and vitamin C and are eaten as a fresh dessert fruit. The pulp can be preserved
in syrup or used in several conserves.