Bael fruit is also called wood apple, which is no surprise if you try to break its hard woody surface. On this page you find some basic information about bael, together with bael photos and a recipe with bael fruit.
| Scientific name: | Aegle marmelos |
| Synonym: | Feronia pellucida |
| Synonym: | Crataeva marmelos |
| English: | Bael |
| English: | Wood apple |
| English: | Beli fruit |
| English: | Bilva |
| English: | Bilwa |
| English: | Stone apple |
| Thai: | Matoom |
| Thai: | Matum |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Origin: | Bael originates from India, southern Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. |
| Distribution: | Bael growth in subtropical areas. Main areas of cultivation include India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and Fiji. |
| Evergreen or deciduous: | Deciduous |
| Flowers: | |
| Leaves: | |
| Fruits: | The woody-skinned fruit of bael has a smooth surface and measures 5 to 15 cm in diameter. Some fruits are so hard that you need a hammer to break the skin. The fruits contain many seeds, covered with fibrous hairs and are surrounded by a thick, sticky pulp. |
| Climate and weather: | |
| Pollination: | |
| Height: | Bael trees will grow to about 18 meters tall. |
| Blooming period | |
| Type of soil: | Bael prefers rich, well-drained soils. |
| Growth rate: | |
| Spacing (close range) | |
| Spacing (wide range) | |
| Propagation: | Bael is grown from seeds. |
| Insect pests: | |
| Diseases: | |
| Fruit development: | |
| Harvesting: | |
| Uses: | Bael fruit is eaten fresh or dried. Juice of bael is sweetened and sometimes
mixed with lime to make a kind of lemonade. Also sliced and dried fruits can be
used to make a drink by first boiling and then simmering the dried pieces in water. The fruits have also a medicinal use as a mild laxative and digestive. |
Bael fruit Juice
Ingredients:
1) Dried bael fruit 5 slices
2) Water 1 liter
3) Sugar 200 grams
Instructions on how to make a juice:
Clean the slices of bael fruit with water. Grill the dried slices of bael fruit until
you get the aromatic fragrance. It is possible to use the dries piece directly if grilling is too complicated.
Boil 1 liter water then add slices of bael fruit for 5 minutes. Add sugar as much as you like. Pour
the juice through a sieve after it has cooled down. You can serve it as
a warm drink or as a cool drink.
Benefits: Good for your stomach, releases gas, relieves phlegm and apthous ulcer, and relieves diarrhea.
Last modified: 27 August 2010 - Copyright © 1995-2010 by Hein Bijlmakers - Contact me
