Ber Fruit

Ber or Zezyphus sativa ia a native of the Indian subcontinent. It is found in the tropical south as well as in the arid regions of Rajasthan. In December and January, the trees become laden with ripe fruit, inviting birds and small mammals. The dried fruit is preserved and eaten to alleviate sun stroke and thirst.
The name Ber comes from the Sanskrit Badari. Ber trees were believed to have been growing in the region of Badrinath, high up in the Himalayas. For the Hindus, this thorny tree is lovable.

Thetree has many uses- farmers use the thorny branches to keep out atray cattle from their fields. The wood is hard, and is used to make agricultural implements.

Now we see ber fruit the size of small apples- the result of hibridization.

A very tasty sweet and sour pickle is made from the fruit.

The Nutritious Mandu ki Imli

Mandu in the Malva region of Madhya Pradesh has many unusual plants. One of them is the Mandu-ki- Imli tree which is better known as Baobab tree. The Baobab tree must have been brought to this region from Africa in antiquity, as it is not a native of India. People of the region have made good use of the highly nutritious fruit of the tree, which is locally known as Mandu ki Imli tree. The dried fruit contains seeds covered in fibrous material, which are sour to taste. They are said to contain more vitamin C than oranges.

Most of the baobab trees are huge- and some are said to be 500 years old. During the dry season, the trees store water in their trunks. The leaves of the tree are also used as a green vegetable.

This picture of the baobab tree is from Wikipedia.