Pawpaw - Popo (English spelling) Pawpaw

Japanese: ポポー - ぽぽー（英語表記）Pawpaw

A deciduous tall tree of the Annonaceae family, pawpaw genus. It is called pawpaw, popo, and in Japan, it is called akebi-gaki. It is native to the central to northern parts of eastern North America. It blooms purple flowers in spring and produces oblong, yellow-green fruits in autumn, like akebi. The fruits are edible, with yellow to light orange flesh and high viscosity. When ripe, they have a very strong fragrance and a rich, sweet taste, and are also called "forest custard cream." They are resistant to pests and can be grown without pesticides, but they ripen quickly after harvest, making them difficult to distribute, and are a locally produced fruit. They are said to have been introduced to Japan during the Meiji period, but commercial cultivation has decreased to the point that they are now called a phantom fruit. Nagahama-cho, Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, and Juo-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture are listed as the main production areas in Japan, and in September 2014, an individual in Shizuoka City succeeded in mass-producing about 2,500 pieces.

(2014-9-12)

Source: Asahi Shimbun Publications About Chiekura Mini Information

Japanese:

バンレイシ科ポポー属の落葉高木。ポーポー、ポポなど読みはいろいろで、日本ではアケビガキとも呼ばれる。原産は北アメリカ東部の中～北部地帯。春に紫色の花を咲かせ、秋にアケビのような長楕円形で黄緑色の実をつける。実は食用となり、果肉は黄色から薄いオレンジ色で粘度が高い。熟すと非常に強い香りがし、甘みに富んだ濃厚な味で「森のカスタードクリーム」とも称される。病害虫に強く無農薬で栽培できるが、収穫後の熟変が早いため流通が難しく、地産地消型の果実となっている。日本には明治時代に入ってきたとされるが、いつしか幻の果実といわれるほどまで商業栽培が減った。愛媛県大洲市長浜町や茨城県日立市十王町などが日本の主産地として挙げられ、2014年9月には静岡市の個人が約2500個の量産に成功した。

(2014-9-12)

出典　朝日新聞出版知恵蔵miniについて　情報

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