History
The giant grenadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis) is the fruit of a tropical liana. It is also called the barbadine in some Caribbean islands. It is native to South America or Central America. Its rather wild culture was present in the earliest times in an area between Mexico, Brazil and Peru.
It would have arrived first in the English-speaking West Indies in particular in Barbados in 1750. Its introduction in the French Antilles would date from the end of the 19th century. Today giant grenadilla is present throughout the tropical region of the globe.
Varieties
There are many varieties of giant grenadillas and the total number is unknown. Moreover, giant grenadilla is considered a variety of maracuja or passion fruit. Also, it is a fruit that hybridizes easily with smaller strains.
It is a rather large fruit, 12 to 15 cm wide and 10 to 30 cm long, oval in shape and pale green, or bright yellow, or even brown depending on the variety when it is ripe. His skin is thick.
The vine is fast-growing, tall, coarse, herbaceous but woody at the base, resulting from a fleshy root that grows larger with age, and climbs trees to a height of 10-15 m or even 45 m in Asia. It has thick, 4-angled stems prominently winged at the angles, and axillary tendrils up to 30 cm long, flanked by leaf-shaped, oval, or ovate-lanceolate stipules 2 to 3.5 cm long, sometimes slightly toothed.
The alternate leaves are broadly oval or oblong-oval, 8-15 cm wide and 10-20 cm long rounded or cordate at the base.
The solitary and fragrant flowers, measuring up to 13 cm wide, have a bell-shaped calyx, the 5 sepals greenish or reddish-green on the outside, white, pink or purple on the inside. They have 5 white and pink petals, the crown filaments 2-row, purple and white below, blue in the middle and pinkish blue above, around the typical complex of pistil, style and stigma.
Flowers can be used for decorative purposes.
Health benefits
In the tropics, the fruit is used in the prevention or relief of scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency and also for stomach ailments.
The flesh is used as a sedative to relieve nervous headaches, asthma, diarrhea, dysentery, neurasthenia and insomnia.
According to some studies in Latin American countries, giant grenadilla regulates sleep, fights against migraines and protects bones, fights against anemia, fights cholesterol, regulates intestinal transit and also helps in weight loss.
A leaf decoction is an anthelmintic (medicine that expels intestinal worms) and is used for skin conditions (pain or suffering).
Leaf poultices are applied for liver problems.
The powdered root when mixed with oil is used as a soothing poultice.
Uses
In Martinique, the pulp of giant grenadilla is used to make juice, syrups and jams. The unripe fruit is cooked like a vegetable and tastes like cucumber.
In Florida, it is used to make wine.
