Banana perhaps will be the most common fruit in the entire world. In some parts of the world, banana is called plantain. The soft and sweet fruit of this tropical plant (not tree) in enjoyed by people from around the world. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of variety of banana found growing in different parts of the world. In Kerala, there are about 50 cultivars of Banana.

Here is a list of few cultivars of banana in Kerala. All names in Malayalam.

Palayam kodan – this is the most widely cultivated variety of banana in Kerala, very soft when fully ripe. It has a cooling effect on places of very hot and humid conditions.

Annaan – there are different cultivars under this name, each type offering a distinct flavor.

Ethan or nenthran (nenthra vazha) – fruits commonly find uses in variety of culinary preparations. Banana chips, banana fritters (locally called vazhakka appam or pazham pori), etc are prepared from this cultivar of banana. The fruit is a bit harder than many other varieties of bananas.

Morris or Robusta – the banana that retains its green color even after ripening, it comes from a dwarf variety of banana plants, cultivated throughout Kerala.

Poovan – this banana fruit variety is fairly larger in size than annaan, palayam kodan etc, is bright glossy yellow in appearance. Prices are high for this variety.

Kappa vazha (red banana) – is characterized by its red skin. fairly large sized fruit turns its color from deep brown to dark red as it ripens. The edible part is very soft.

 Monthan – unlike all the above mentioned varieties, this is mostly a vegetable variety and rarely eaten raw. Complete ripening is not generally allowed.

Many varieties of banana plants in Kerala have been imported from countries like Brazil, African countries, USA, Australia, etc. The Agricultural University of Kerala too has developed new cultivars of bananas combining traces of different variety.

Banana fruits are rich in different minerals and components like vitamin A, B6, C and Potassium.

Banana leaves are used as natural plates in Kerala and is an important part of Kerala culture. People eat special Onam feast (the national festival of Kerala is most important to its people). The leaves are spread on floor, over which cooked rice and all the delicacies are served.

The core stem of the plant, called vazhappindi (vazha pindi) is used to prepare a side dish called thoran, which is recommended for persons with diabetes. The preparation is very tasty too. Similarly vazha koombu (vazhakkoombu, vazha kumbu, vazhakkumbu also called vazhachundu or vazha chundu), the flower or cone of plantain plants is also used as a nicely tasting vegetable. The cone is collected after the flower ceases to produce new fruits.

All variety uses of banana and plant parts are beneficial for stomach and use of them is part of Ayurveda lifestyle prevailing in Kerala and India.

Musa belongs to the family Musaceae.

Tall trees densely foliated right from the bottom through the top bearing fruits the size of 10-15 inches is not a rare sight in Kerala. Introduced to India, this tree is now a friend of Kerala farmers. The shades of Western Ghats prepare a unique setting for cocoa trees. Cocoa trees are cultivated on a commercial scale in Kerala, India. Cocoa cultivation in Kerala is mainly as an intercrop to coconut and areca nut farms.

Cocoa trees generally have very tiny white flowers (3-4mm) flowers throughout the year. Fruits first appear as tiny green pods, which grow to a size of 10-15 inches, oblong and grooved. The skin of the fruit, the shell is about 1-3 cm thick, which when broken by hitting against a hard object like stone, (not cut with a knife because it can damage the seeds) there appear 30-50 triangular seeds wrapped on milky to creamy fleshy covering, which is a delicacy.

The main usable part is the seeds or beans, which is sent to processing units to produce chocolate beverages or uncountable types.

Cocoa trees are planted in high-humus content loamy soil for maximum yields. The tree can also suffer if exposed to heavy winds. Keeping in close heels with Kerala, the other south Indian states, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh too have started cultivating cocoa on a large scale.

Egg fruit (Pautaria campechiana) is a lesser known fruit of sapota family. The tree that yields egg fruit is abundantly branched, bushy and of evergreen nature. In India egg fruit is found in all parts of Kerala. The 20-30 ft tree is abundant at the Western Ghats region. Though rarely, the fruits are sold at local markets of Kerala. Both children and adults take the fruit as a nice delicacy fruit.

The fruit got its name from the fact that it remotely resembles the size and shape of an egg. Epidermis or the edible part is also somewhat like the yolk of an egg, both in color and feel, very soft and easily ruptured. The fruit has a large seed. Young fruits have a glossy appearance while ripe fruits appear dull.

The taste and feel of the fruit is unique. Egg fruit is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C and proteins. Fruits are taken with or without its skin. The fruits also give rich flavor to certain milk shakes.

Ayurvedic texts or experts talking about egg fruit as a potential medicine is not found. Ayurveda sees taking naturally available food items a healthy practice, this fruit really does good for body and nervous system. Thus it can very well be included in a website dealing with Ayurveda and Ayurvedic practices.

The tree is found growing in a variety of soil types, ranging from clayey to sandy. Loamy soil, moderate rainfall and good drainage stimulate better plant growth and yield. It is also resistant to most of plant diseases.

Propagation is mainly through seeds, where small animals and birds play a role in distribution of the seeds. While cultivating, seeds are sown immediately after separating them from the fruits.

Pautaria campechiana belongs to the family Sapotaceae.

Guava is a common fruit found throughout Kerala. The main variety of guava cultivated and sold in Kerala is Psidium guajava or apple guava. It is a very fleshy fruit with a lot of rounded seeds within the fruits, which are not removed before taking the fruit. The skin is very thin and skinning is not necessary.

Guava trees are small shrubby evergreen trees, with a lot of strong branches. Smooth bark which occasionally flakes off is a characteristic of this tree. The leaves are slightly aromatic when crushed. White flowers appear towards the end of small branches, either as single or in a small cluster. Each flower bears numerous white needle-like stamens, which accommodate creamy anthers.

 The fruits are fleshy, sweet and emanate a slight but pleasant odor and bear the floral remnants on the lower end.

The fruit contains fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B3, B4, etc.

Natural propagation is by birds and small animals. The seeds are hard and donÂ’t get digested when consumed by them and dropped at far places. Cultivation also is by sowing seeds. The seeds are boiled for five minutes to facilitate quick germination. The hard outer covering ensures the seed is not destroyed by the treatment. Other methods of softening the seed cover are sulfuric acid treatment or soaking in water for two weeks.

Another method of cultivation is root cuttings. Sometimes the root is simply cut at a distance from the tree. A new sprout emerges from the point, where the root is separated from the tree.

Psidium guajava belongs to the family Myrtaceae.

Papaya is a common fruit found in almost all parts of Kerala. Papaya is locally known as kaplam or kaplanga, papanga or pappakka, omakkai etc.

Unripe papaya is used as a vegetable and ripe fruits are taken fresh. Green skin turns yellow on ripening. Edible part is yellow to red. There are also varieties of papaya, which have yellow skin since fruiting until consumed after ripening.

Ripe fruits are not stable for more than six-seven days. Papaya fruits have a cavity like ovary, which has hundreds of seeds wrapped in a jelly-like substance. The seeds become quickly unviable if kept in room temperature for more than a few weeks or if sun dried.

Seeds are sown in beds, from where 45-60 day old seedlings are transplanted to the field. Water logging is serious threat to the existence of papaya trees.

Seedless varieties of papaya too are available.

Papaya fruits have medicinal properties and in beneficial in curing variety of digestive disorders, qualifying itself as an Ayurvedic medicinal fruit.

The papaya extraction, papain is extracted from unripe papaya by making an incision with a small knife. A white milky fluid oozes out, which is quickly settled on the surface of the fruit, just like a resin.

The tree usually is un-branched; however branched trees are not rare. The leaf has a long hollow tube like stalk, which bears a large, segmented leaf. The tree trunk and roots are very weak and susceptible to water logging and external shocks.

Carica papaya belongs to the family Caricaceae.

Pineapple is delicate fruit cultivated in Kerala. Pine apple fruit is quite unique in the sense that there is a plant on either ends of the fruit, that is a plant starting growing from top of a fruit, well before the fruit starts maturing.

Pineapple (called kaithachakka, puruthichakka, pirithichakka) has rough, thorny skin and pleasantly smelling, delicious inner part, which is taken fresh, made jams, prepared squashes, fresh juice, etc.

Europeans give it the name pine apple because they thought the fruit resembled pine cones. People in Kerala thought it resembles jackfruit (Chakka) grown on ground (earth – prithvi) and hence named it prithichakka, the pronunciation of which is evolved over many years. Kaitha is a large plant that grows high and has long sword like leaves quite similar to that of a pineapple plant, but with three rows of thorns. This plant too bears fruit. Probably the term kaithachakka has connections with this plant.

The fruit is a compound fruit. It appears as two interlocking spirals of fruits (fruit-lets). The fruit contains vitamin B1 and C. This fruit is good in promoting digestion, because of the presence of certain enzymes.

The pineapple plant appears as a cluster of long sword-like leaves with thorny edges. These thorns probably protect the fruit from attacks of smaller animals. However, crows relish on pineapples.

Ananas comosus belongs to the family Bromeliaceae.

Sapota (also sapodilla, zapota, chikku, chicku) is cultivated in Kerala for its sweet fruit. Though introduced to the land from the Americas, India has become the largest producer of sapodilla or sapota.

The large evergreen trees have dense foliage. It strives well in tropical conditions. There will be flowers and fruits on the tree almost throughout the year.

Towards the ends of branches, there will be small white-creamy flowers. Ovoid brown fruits are about the size of an egg. Beneath the skin is fleshy edible part, which can be dark creamy to brown. The fruit encloses five to ten 2-3 cm long black seeds. However, seedless varieties too are available out there. It is harvested only after fully ripe. Peel the skin or cut the fruit in two to enjoy the fleshy fruit. DonÂ’t forget to remove the seeds. Young fruits have characteristic latex. The fruits deteriorate quickly after ripening and harvesting. The fruits canÂ’t be stored more than a few days.

Fruits are eaten raw, and there is hardly any culinary preparation with sapotas.

Propagation is by air layering, stem cutting etc. The seeds are prone to variability in progeny. Today there are different variety of this fruit tree cultivated in Kerala and India.

Probably because of its late entry into Indian orchards, zapota has little reference in Ayurveda medicinal texts.