Very Colorful Berries!

Tropical fruits are abundant during our dry season from February to May. But other fruits also become mature and ready for picking at the onset of the rainy season. One of these is 'bignay' (Antidesma bunius), considered minor fruit because it is not sold commercially in big volumes, nor exported. It is also not known to many people. Some even haven't tasted it. Only kids eat and gather them as part of their plays.


Bignay however when processed, produce a very valuable product, bignay wine. A college friend, for his desire to preserve the environment and help the community, bought one side of a biodiversity vulnerable mountain, planted it to bignay, and now reaps the pleasure of a sustainable environment while producing his own wine  (Another Link). The community helps him preserve the vegetation of the area and at the same time the raw materials for his wine business. Endemic birds, formerly vulnerable to loss of habitat, now enjoy a stable sanctuary and peaceful surroundings. 


I found a volunteer bignay in our property and it is now laden with fruits. It is near the road so lots of children enjoy its fruits when fully ripe. The following photos are not fully ripe yet. They turn deep red or violet red when fully ripe. It is sweet with a little balance of acidity, and just like any other fruits can be made into fine wines. I am not making wines, but i make the children and the birds in our property happy with these free for all berries. It is a good source of antioxidants, and i hope birds benefit from antioxidants too. Other parts of the plant are used to balance sugar levels in blood of diabetics. 

A bunch below already shows some ripe berries, black means ripe!