Salacca fruit/seeds

[iwan]

With all the recent talk about Salacca trees and fruit I thought I would post up some fruit and seed pictures from Indonesia this summer.  Salak (the local name) is one of my favorite fruits and up until a few months ago I never knew it came from a palm (thanks Sebastian, where are you anyway??).  I ate at least 5kg of the various varities during my visit.

Even though it wasn't quite in season I found fruit marketed under five different names, Bali, Pondoh, Pondoh Super, Pondoh Lumut, Gading.  To my palate (and various locals) Bali was the least flavorful.  Everyone I talked to recommended the Pondoh variety, but I found Pondoh Lumut (not sure what differntiates it from the plain Pondoh and Super) and Gading to be the most delicious.  It has been a few months now and I forget if Pondoh Lumut or Gading was the best in a side-by-side taste test, but they were very close in taste.  All varieties were consistantly different in flavor.  Costs were between $.50 and $1.00/kg with  Pondoh Lumut and Gading the most expensive.

I an not sure if all of these are the fruits of Salacca zalaca or of varoius Salacca species.  When I was in central Java I tried to search out Salacca farms, but I was told they were in the danger zone of the volcano Gunung Merapi.  When I was in Bali I did not have time to search out any farms.

Now, on to the pictures.

[iwan]

Inspite of what it says on the paper, the proper name is Pondoh Lumut.

[iwan]

[ariscott]

Yum,

You make me very homesick. I have planted 10 seeds of the salak bali and they are all germinating nicely. Apparently, I have been told that it only takes 3-4 years for them to fruit. I can't wait!!

Regards, Ari

[iwan]

[iwan]

Fruits typically contained three seeds, but sometimes two, and occasionally only one (usually on malformed fruit).

[iwan]

Salak Gading

Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the plain Pondoh fruit or seeds nor Gading seeds.  Are the taste and visual differences purely cultural or are they different species?  Any associations to botanic names are appreciated.

[ariscott]

Iwan,

I know salak bali is salacca edulis. I am not sure about the others though.

Regards, Ari

[iwan]

Thank you Bu Ari.  

Can anyone else ID the remaining species?

[Gileno Machado]

Very interesting Robert, thanks for the information.

Salacca zalaccas are doing really perfect here. I bought a few seeds last year and they've all sprouted nicely with vigorous growth ever since. The subspecies of mine was not mentioned so I assume they are just the regular common form. I'd love to get some seeds of the other varieties that you mention as having the best taste too. I've never tried any Salacca fruits here in Brazil and I can't wait till mine start fruiting...