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Escontria chiotilla - (A.A.Weber ex K.Schum.) Rose

Common Name Chiotilla, Jiotilla
Family Cactaceae
USDA hardiness 9-11
Known Hazards Sharp spines
Habitats It is a tropical plant growing in deciduous forest and xerophyllous scrub tropical. It grows in arid places. It occurs in areas with a temperature of 25°C and a rainfall of 1,340 mm.
Range Mesoamerica. Mexico (Puebla, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Guerrero).
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Escontria chiotilla Chiotilla, Jiotilla


Amante Darmanin from Wikimedia Commons.
Escontria chiotilla Chiotilla, Jiotilla
Amante Darmanin from Wikimedia Commons.

 

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Summary

A cactus. This is the only species in the Genus Escontria. The fruit is sweet, edible and very delicious with a gooseberry flavour. It is used in marmalade and ice cream and as a juice. It makes a good living fence.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Escontria chiotilla is an evergreen Perennial growing to 7 m (23ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Cereus chiotilla F.A.C. Weber. Myrtillocactus chiotilla (F.A.C. Weber) P.V. Heath

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses: Drink

Edible Portion: Fruit. The purple fleshy fruit are eaten fresh. They are also used in marmalade and ice cream. They are also used for juice. The fruit are also dried and said to have a gooseberry flavour. They are sold in Tehucan markets under the name geotilla and tuna [183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None Known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

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Other Uses

Fencing  Fodder

Carbon Farming Solutions - Agroforestry Services: living fence (Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland). Fodder: bank.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Fodder: Bank  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

Climate: tropical highlands. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Full Sun to Partial Shade. Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping. Soil pH: 6.1 (mildly acidic) to 7.8 (mildly alkaline). Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].

Carbon Farming

  • Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
  • Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - direct sow after last frost. Seed Collecting: Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds. Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds. Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Chiotilla, Jiotilla, Quiotilla, Chiotilla Cactus, Geotilla fruit, Tuna fruit

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Mexico, Guerrero, Michoacán de Ocampo, Oaxaca, Puebla,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Least Concern

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(A.A.Weber ex K.Schum.) Rose

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

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