Babako fruits with an unusual taste

Babaco, or Carica pentagona, is a special fruit from the Caricaceae family. People also call it the Pentagonal Melon Tree. This tree loses its leaves and grows mainly in warm areas. It is common in the mountain valleys of Ecuador. Babaco is known for its strange look and tasty fruit.

The babaco tree grows to 5 to 8 meters tall. It has a round trunk that may or may not have branches. The tree's bark is grayish-brown. Babaco fruits are S-shaped and can grow up to 30 cm long. They have a sour taste, like a mix of pineapple, strawberry, kiwi, and orange.

This plant lives for many years and only grows from cuttings. It needs certain conditions to grow well. Babaco grows best up to 2000 meters above sea level. It needs a warm climate to grow fully.

The fruits take 7 to 10 months to ripen, depending on the weather. The fruits taste good and are popular for their unique flavor. People can eat them fresh or make juice with them.


Even though babaco is nice and has good qualities, it can't handle cold winters. So, it can't grow in places with very cold winters.