Exploring Jamaica Food: June Plum (Ambarella) Fruit

In this week of Jamaican food, we introduce the June Plum, known as the Ambarella fruit. You may recently learn about June Plum and have questions like How to eat June plum? Can you eat a June plum? What does a June plum taste like? We like answer these questions and more, so read on.

June Plum (Ambarella) Fruit

June Plum is a tropical fruit tree that grows widely throughout Jamaica and the Caribbean. Native to Asia, this woody plant was brought to Jamaica between the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, where it flourished in our tropical climate.

The June plum tree will not fruit in regions with frost but grow well in warm climates. In Jamaica, the June plum tree can grow up to 60ft (18metre) and bear fruits between September and mid-January.

June Plum fruit has a round to oval like shape with a crunchy flesh and a large single seed at its core, which is spiny and sharp.

What Is Another Name For June Plum?

In Jamaican this tropical fruit is called June Plum. In other Caribbean counties it has other names such as, Golden Apple or Jew plum. Other parts of the word where June Plum is grown, the fruit is known as Ambarella and Indian hog plum (not to mistaken with Jamaican hog plum).

Jamaican June Plum Season

June plum is a seasonal fruit with the highest harvest during October and November. The tree starts flowering around the beginning of June. By mid-October, the June plum fruits are fully mature and continue until mid-January.

At first, the June Plum is green with a hard, crunchy flesh. A ripe June plum is golden yellow. The pulp is still a bit crunchy but softer and juicier.

Can You Eat June Plum And How Does It Taste?

Yes, June Plum can be eaten. When the fruit is in season, June Plum is eaten at different stages of its maturity.

Jamaicans eats the green June plum with salt and black pepper.

The ripe June plum is mostly eaten raw, but id is sometimes stewed with spices and sugar to make a delicious Jamaican dessert.

We also blend the June plum to make a refreshing drink.

June plum fruit health benefits

The are many amazing health benefits the June plum can provide you when you eat it. It is a good source for Vitamins A and C, both great for healthy skin and hair.

The amount of phosphorus found in June plum is beneficial for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

This high amount of iron and minerals contain in June plum in the formation of red blood cells.

Conclusion

Make sure you eat a few June plum the next time the fruit is in season, whether you have it raw, stewed or as a drink and gain all the health benefits that comes with eating it.

Other Jamaican Fruits