How Well Do You Know These Tropical Fruits? Papaya - Mamao - Papaw

Did you know that they are all the same species 'Carica papaya' although the numerous cultivars of these tropical fruits all look and taste different?
Despite being 'tree like' in appearance, they are classed as large herb as are banana plants.

I am unsure of the cultivar of our specific plants as there have been many many generations of seedlings grown from a random fruit bought at the markets almost two decades ago mixed with random volunteers from the compost just to add some spice.

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_{'Carica papaya' a very useful herb.'}

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One Fruit With Many Names

❝While the name papaya is widely recognized, in some parts of the world, especially Australia and some islands of the West Indies, it is known as papaw, or pawpaw it has been called kapaya, kepaya, lapaya or tapaya in southern Asia and the East Indies. In French, it is papaye (the fruit) and papayer (the plant), or sometimes figuier des Iles. Spanish-speaking people employ the names melón zapote, lechosa, payaya (fruit), papayo or papayero (the plant), fruta bomba, mamón or mamona, depending on the country. In Brazil, the usual name is mamao. When first encountered by Europeans it was quite naturally nicknamed "tree melon".❞ ~ Julia F. Morton

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_{We have both male and female plants growing in the garden and the Fruit Bats love to eat them even more than we do.}

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We all love to eat the plump, golden yellow orbs straight from the tree, but they can be used in a huge range of dishes from Salads & Curries to Cupcakes & Pizza! There are even cultural recipes that include the Cooked Green Fruit. The young leaves are cooked and eaten like spinach in India, though I'm yet to try it.

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_{The male plant has dangley bits (like most males do.....) With flowers and sometimes fruit on long stalks extending out away from the trunk.}

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The green fruit, latex and crushed leaves are used to tenderise meat and other proteins. The leaves can also be used as a soap substitute for laundering, and the roots ground for salt.

In fact the sap or latex of the plant contains Papain which has many uses including being smeared on boils, warts and freckles and given as a vermifuge. It also is used to treat ulcers, clarify beer, and reduce swelling, fever and adhesions after surgery. Some cultures even use an extract to cause abortions!(don't try this at home folks)

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_{The females produce both flowers and fruit right on the stem of the plant.}

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What a crazy fruit, and an incredible learning journey finding out about it's many and varied uses around the world. I have to give credit to another Steemer I follow @vegansilverstack for it was a comment on his Papaya Update post that sent me on this goose chase. So thanks mate and cheers!

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_{While taking these photo's I've fed them this mix of minerals and chicken manure pellets.}

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To you, my lovely readers, I hope you have learned something new about this Awesome Tropical Fruit that so many people, from so many cultures all share and enjoy, just like you.

If you'd like to read a post about our local Fruit Bat Colony let me know in the Comments.

And

Thank You For Taking The Time To Enjoy My Post

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_{Citation for this post:
Australian Papaya - Varieties
Australian Papaya - Recipes
Fruits of warm climates. - Julia F. Morton}