Description:
– Evergreen tree up to 20m tall with greyish-brown, fissured bark
– Branchlets and petioles covered with short, brown hairs
– Simple, oblanceolate to elliptical leaves up to 25cm long and 10cm wide
– Small, axillary flowers with greenish white corolla forming a tube
– Globose fruit 6–12cm long, bright yellow pulp, and dark brown seeds
History:
– Representations found on ceramics at burial sites in coastal Peru
– Moche people depicted lúcuma in their art
– First seen and reported by Europeans in Ecuador in 1531
Distribution and habitat:
– Originates in the Andes of Ecuador and Peru
– Thrives at elevations of 2,700–3,000m (8,900–9,800ft)
Cultivation:
– Grown in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Costa Rica
– Successful cultivation in Vietnam known as lêkima
– Harvesting season in Peru from October to March and in Chile from June to November
Uses:
– Sweet fruit eaten raw with mealy and dry texture
– Commonly used in Peru for juice, milkshakes, and ice cream
– Described as having a flavor similar to sweet potato, maple syrup, or butterscotch
– Popular ice cream flavor in Peru and widely used in desserts
Nutrition:
– Lúcuma pulp has 64-72% moisture content
– Contains glucose, fructose, sucrose, inositol, citric acid, and succinic acid
– Limited nutritional information for lúcuma powder, moderate protein and iron content
– Provides 420 Calories per 100g serving
– Rich in vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, Calcium, and Potassium