Wi Apple

We purchased our dwarf wi apple tree about 6 years ago. Turns out it, it’s not so dwarf.

Wi apple as it is known in Hawai’i is also knows as Ambarella or June plum. The fruit when ripe is yellow in color; the flesh firm. I find it tastes like a citrusy flavored apple. It has also been described as a mix between a pineapple and mango in taste. Either way it’s delicious. It contains a furry fibrous pit. The skin is bitter, so we peel it before we eat it. Our tree is quite tall, and this year, we have a nice sized yield.

Wi apple has a lot of health benefits. It is high in Vitamins A and C, and is loaded with antioxidants. It is a high fiber food which aids in digestion as well. The leaves of tree are also beneficial and can be boiled to make a tea that helps alleviate coughs. The tea is mild with a slight citrus flavor. The bark of the tree can also be boiled to make a tea that aids in dysentery (always good to know that).

Although it is typically eaten raw, it can be made into jam, jelly, chutney, and can be pickled. It used to flavor soups, stews, and curries. Some like it with salt and chili. It’s a very versatile fruit that grows well in our tropical climate. A former co-worker’s husband used to bring in pickled wi to our office. That’s what gave me the inspiration to get our own tree. The mature leaves on the tree can be eaten raw as a salad or steamed and eaten as a vegetable.

After doing a little research, I was pleasantly surprised to find out just our versatile this tree is. It’s time to experiment a bit … I see some jelly and curry in our future.

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