From the book
Fruits of Warm Climates
by Julia F. Morton
Ceriman
Monstera
deliciosa
ARACEAE
Of the many
aroids (members of the family of Araceae) that are cultivated as
ornamental plants, only this one has been grown as well for its fruit.
The ceriman, Monstera
deliciosa Liebm. (syn. Philodendron pertusum
Kunth & Bouche), is often called merely monstera and,
inappropriately, false breadfruit. Because of the apertures in its
leaves, some have called it Swiss-cheese plant, or hurricane plant,
suggesting that the holes and slits permit the wind to pass through
without damaging the foliage. Generally, in Mexico and other Latin
American countries it is known as pinanona, or pina anona, but in
Venezuela it is called ojul or huracan; in Colombia, hojadillo; in
Guatemala, harpon or arpon comun. In Guadeloupe it is caroal, liane
percee, or liane franche; in Martinique, siguine couleurre; in French
Guiana, arum du pays or arum troud. In Brazil it is catalogued by a
leading nursery as ananas japonez (Japanese pineapple).
Description
The
plant is a fast-growing, stout, herbaceous vine spreading over the
ground and forming extensive mats if unsupported, but climbing trees to
a height of 30 ft (9 m) or more. The stems are cylindrical, heavy, 2
1/2 to 3 in (6.25-7.5 cm) thick, rough with leaf scars, and producing
numerous, long, tough aerial roots. The leathery leaves, on stiff,
erect, flattened petioles to 3 1/2 ft (105 cm) long, are oval, cordate
at the base, to 3 ft (90 cm) or more in length and to 2 3/4 ft (82.8
cm) wide; deeply cut into 9-in (22.8 cm) strips around the margins and
perforated on each side of the midrib with elliptic or oblong holes of
various sizes.
Several inflorescences arise in a group from the
leaf axils on tough, cylindrical stalks. The cream colored spadix,
sheltered at first by a waxy, white, calla-lily-like spathe, develops
into a green compound fruit 8 to 12 in (20-30 cm) or more in length and
2 to 3 1/2 in (5-8.75 cm) thick, suggesting an ear of corn. The thick,
hard rind, made up of hexagonal plates or "scales", covers individual
segments of ivory-colored, juicy, fragrant pulp much like diced
pineapple. Between the segments there are thin, black particles (floral
remnants). Generally there are no seeds, but sometimes, pale-green,
hard seeds the size of large peas, may occur in a dozen or so of the
segments.
Fig. 4: The ceriman (Monstera
deliciosa)
in flower and fruit at Palm Lodge Tropical Grove, Homestead, Fla. In:
J.F. Morton, Some Useful and Ornamental Plants of the Caribbean
Gardens, 1955.
Origin and
Distribution
The
ceriman is native to wet forests of southern Mexico, Guatemala and
parts of Costa Rica and Panama. It was introduced into cultivation in
England in 1752; reached Singapore in 1877 and India in 1878. Specimens
of the fruit were exhibited by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society
in 1874 and 1881. It has become familiar as an ornamental in most of
the warm countries of the world and is widely used in warm and
temperate regions as a potted plant indoors,—especially in
conservatories and greenhouses—though it does not bloom nor
fruit
in confinement. In Guatemala, it is raised in pots in patios to prevent
too rampant growth, as it is apt to become an aggressive nuisance.
The
fruits are marketed to some extent in Queensland and, in the past, were
sometimes shipped from Florida to gourmet grocers in New York and
Philadelphia.
Climate
The ceriman is strictly tropical and cannot tolerate frost. It does
best in semi-shade and has a high moisture requirement.
Soil
The
plant grows vigorously in almost any soil, including limestone but
flourishes best in well drained, rich loam. It is not adapted to saline
conditions.
Propagation
In
some European nurseries, the ceriman is raised from imported seed.
Rapid multiplication has been achieved through tissue culture in
Denmark. Generally, propagation is by means of stem cuttings, which may
be simply set in beds or pots in the ground where the vine is intended
to grow. Suckers or offshoots, with or without roots, can be separated
from parent plants and transplanted successfully. Mulching is desirable
as well as watering until new roots have become well-established.
Culture
Suckers
will fruit in 2 to 4 years; cuttings in 4 to 6 years, depending on the
location, soil and attention given. Out-of-doors, the ceriman requires
little care. If it is desired to expedite growth and fruiting, a
complete fertilizer may be applied 3 or 4 times a year. Indoor plants
need frequent repotting to accommodate the root system, and they should
be set outside at least once a year in direct light.
Season
Flowering
and fruiting overlap because it requires 12 to 14 months from the
opening of the inflorescence to the maturity of the fruit. Therefore,
there are often unopened inflorescences, immature fruits and ripening
fruits together on the same plant. The current year's crop is ripening
through summer and fall while the following year's crop is forming
beside it.
Harvesting
The
rind is always green though it assumes a lighter shade as the fruit
matures. The fruit, with at least an inch (2.5 cm) of stem, should be
cut from the plant when the tile-like sections of rind separate
slightly at the base, making it appear somewhat bulged. At this state,
the fruits have been shipped to local or distant markets. If kept at
room temperature, the ceriman will ripen progressively toward the apex
over a period of 5 or 6 days. The flesh should be eaten only from that
portion of the fruit from which the rind segments have so loosened as
to be easily flicked off. To ripen the whole fruit at one time, it
should be wrapped in paper or plastic, or possibly aluminum foil, as
soon as cut from the plant and kept at room temperature until the rind
has loosened the entire length of the fruit. At this stage, it will be
found that the flesh also falls easily away from the inedible core.
Once ripened, the fruit can be kept in the refrigerator in good
condition for a week or a little more. Rinsing off the floral remnants
improves the appearance of the flesh, but it does cause some loss of
juice.
Pests and
Diseases
When
grown indoors, the plants are subject to infestation by scale insects,
mites and mealybugs. Outdoors, they are usually pest-free. However, in
dry seasons in Florida, the lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera)
has
rapidly consumed entire leaves, leaving only the base of the midrib and
the petiole. In India, wire cages are placed around developing fruits
to protect them from rats, squirrels, monkeys and other creatures.
The following diseases have been recorded in Florida: leaf spot caused
by Leptosphaeria
sp., Macrophoma
philodendri, Phytophthora
sp., and Pseudomonas
cichorri; anthracnose from Glomerella cingulata;
bacterial soft rot from infection by Erwinia carotovora;
and root rot caused by
Pythium splendens and Rhizoctonia
solani.
Fig.
5: Compound fruit of the ceriman fully ripe, with loose segments of
rind removed and flesh separated for eating. Black specks are floral
remnants.
Food Uses
Fully
ripe pulp is like a blend of pineapple and banana. It may be served as
dessert with a little light cream, or may be added to fruit cups,
salads or ice cream. Some people cut cross-sections right through the
core, creating wheel like disks that can be held with the thumb and
fore finger pinching the "hub" while the edible part is nibbled from
the rim. To make a preserve, rinsed segments can be stewed for 10
minutes in a little water, a cup of sugar and a tablespoon of lime
juice is then added for each 2 cups of fruit, the mixture is simmered
again for 20 minutes and preserved in sterilized jars. Some cooks
substitute honey for sugar.
Food Value
Philippine
analyses show the following values for the edible portion: calories,
335/lb (737/kg); moisture, 77.88%; protein, 1.81%; fat, 0.2%; sugar,
16.19%; fiber 0.57%; ash, 0.85%.
Toxicity
The
oxalic acid, and possibly other unidentified principles, in the unripe
fruit, the floral remnants of the ripe fruit, and all parts of the
plant, cause oral and skin irritation. Some sensitive individuals claim
that even the ripe fruit irritates the throat. It would be well to
avoid eating the ceriman in quantity until it is determined that there
are no undesirable reactions. Some individuals have experienced
urticaria and anaphylaxis after eating ceriman. Some children and
adults have reported diarrhea and intestinal gas after consuming the
flesh or products made from it.
Other Uses
The aerial roots have been used as ropes in Peru. In Mexico, they are
fashioned into coarse, strong baskets.
Medicinal
Uses: In Mexico, a leaf or root infusion is taken daily to relieve
arthritis. A preparation of the root is employed in Martinique as a
remedy for snakebite.
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