A fruity harvest

The Jering fruits

 What is living without fruits?  What is life without plants?  Don't think about it, you'll die!  So to feel alive we decided to bring along the bamboo pole and see what's there to be collected.  This morning the weather was fine, a good day for plucking fruits.  However, the seasonal fruits are becoming less and very soon their season will be over.  The remaining fruits collected this morning were the Ong Lumok, Cempedak, Jering and Rambutan.  Bintulu is blessed with many unique tropical fruits.  Checkout the many fruits of Sarawak or Bintulu for that matter in my other blog here ....>>>>http://mysarawak2.blogspot.com/p/unique-fruits.html

Can you recognize the fruits? ... Discover which is Jering, Rambutan, Cempedak and Lumok

The Rambutans are ripening

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)

 There are many exotic tree species in the park and some are fruit trees.  The 'Rambutan' tree that stands at about 50 feet tall has been here for at least 60 years.  It is fruiting right now and is part of the group of fruit trees that bear fruits seasonally towards the year end.  The Rambutans ripens in December till January.  Since this is an original tree (not a cultivar) the fruits tastes slightly sweet sour.  Rambutans are nowadays eaten fresh besides being canned or prepared as a cocktail. Ripe fruits attract all kinds of wildlife especially squirrels, birds and various insects.

View of park - Zone E is at foreground and Zone F at background

Hanging bunches of ripe Rambutans

What's fruiting at the park?

Young fruits of the "Cempedak" (Artocarpus champeden), borne on a tree planted more than 60 years ago.

 Coming towards the end of the year there would be a series of local fruits that will come in season.  At the park right now are many Cempedak trees that are gradually bearing small fruits.  These unripe fruits can be eaten as vegetables but better leave them maturing on the branches and trunks to enjoy their sweet and juicy pulp later.  At the park there are about a dozen of these fruit trees that have been planted more than 60 years ago.  I do plant many more since about 5 years ago to add to the collection and many among them also start to bear fruits.  In another blog I wrote about 'smoking' the cempedak fruits....go here to learn how it is done...>>>>http://myussop.blogspot.com/2009/11/smoking-cempedak-fruit.html

At the background on the right hand corner  are the tall Cempedak trees.

Fruits Galorey at the park

Jering (Pithecolobium lobatum}

 Currently the Jering fruits are making a resounding comeback.  One tree is fruiting heavily and at the same time producing abundant  flowers for the next batch of fruits.  This is the first time I notice this phenomena.  The Jering is very rich in carbohydrate and protein.  Other fruits that join in the galore here are the Sawit (Oil palm), Banana and the Simpoh Air or Shrubby dillenia (Dillenia suffructicosa).

Sawit or Oil Palm ( Elaies guineensis)

Simpoh air or Shrubby dillenia (Dillenia suffructicosa)

Banana