Wild fruits of middle mountain and high Himal of Nepal Part -1

Rubus ellipticus  at Kavresthali, Kathmandu

Kaphal Fruit tree at the altitude of  1169 m 

1. Kaphal (Box berry), Myrica esculenta is the important fruit tree found in the foot hill of Nepal, India, China and Pakistan. The fruits are generally available on the months of Chaitra\ Baisakh. It is one of the tastiest fruits of Sub-Himalayan region of Nepal. Anyone who wants to taste the  fruit in wild can visit the foothills of the country in the month of Chaitra and Baisakh. Fruits of the plant are also used to make pickle to eat along with bread in the western part of the country. The ripe and semi ripe fruits are mixed with salt and ground in stone grinder, and the pickle is ready to serve. Fruits are used in treatments of abdominal tumours, asthma, fever, piles, irregular bowels function, anaemia, nausea, cough, dyspnoea, to purify seminal fluids etc.

Rubus wetriana at Kailashmandu, Bajura

2. Aiselu, Rubus ellipticus, commonly known as golden Himalayan raspberry or as yellow Himalayan raspberry, is an Asian species of thorny fruiting shrub in the rose family. It is native to  Nepal, China, the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia and  Philippines. Its flower are short, white, and have five petals and grow in clusters, and blooms in the Himalayas between the months of February and April. The berry is ready to eat in the month of Chaitra and Baisakh. Many other species of  Rubus, bloom in different seasons. Kalo aiselu fruit in the month of Jestha/Asar while the Rato aislelu fruit in the month of Asoj/Karthik. The berry is sweet in taste and is used for the remedy of indigestion, to enhance hunger etc. In  the eastern part of Nepal, these berries together with barberry(chutro) are used to make wine which are widely famous.

 Ripe Ghagaru fruits at Kulekhani, Makawanpur

3. Ghagaru( firethorn ) Pyracantha crenulata (D.Don)Roem is a genus of large, thorny evergreen shrub in the family rosaceae. They are native to an area extending from Southeast Asia to Southwest Europe. They are found in the sub-himalayan region from east to west part of Nepal. The fruits are red in color and generally obtained in the month of Shrawan/Bhadra/begining of Asoj. The fruits are generally sweet in taste and are quite satisfying after a tiresome hike .The fruits are dried to make Satu (powered form) that is eaten with tea in western part of country. The fruit shrub is also used as hedge in the field for the prevention of crop-raiding by animals.

Chutro at Bajura district

4. Chutro (tree tumeric), Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex. DC, also known as Indian barberry,  is a shrub belonging to the family Berberideacea and the genus Berberis. The genus comprises approximately 450-500 species of deciduous evergreen shrubs and is found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Europe, and America. B. aristata is native to the Himalayas in Nepal and India. It is also naturally found in the wet zone of Sri Lanka. Many species of Berberis are found in Nepal.The different species fruit in different seasons, the common chutro fruits in late Baisakh to Jestha while the Leki chutro fruits in the months of Asoj/Karthik. The fruits have the combined sweet and sour taste that enhance the digestion. The fruits are also used for the preparation of wine in the eastern part of the country. Its stem, roots, and fruits are used in Ayurveda.

Maleyo at Khaptad N P

5. Maleyo, Vibernum mullaha Buch. Ham. Ex D.Don is the tree found in the high mountain region of Nepal. The fruiting is in the month of Karthik/Mangsir. The fruit is red in color. Although, the taste of the fruit is sour and bitter, it is quite refreshing during the tiresome trekking in the region.

Guyelo at Gaumul, Bajura

6. Guyelo, Elegnnus parviflora  Wall. ex. Royle is the sweetest fruit tree that is found in the high mountain region of Nepal from east to west. The tree Fruits in the month of Karthik/Mangsir and the fruit is sweet in taste. The unripe fruit is Astringent and  is eaten  in the treatment of bloody dysentery and the fruits are also rich in the vitamins and other bio active ingredients. It is considered as the fruit that is capable of reducing the cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancer

Lisso at Gaumul, Bajura

7. Lisso, Viscum album is the hemi-parasitic plant that is usually found in the branches of Quercus, Rhododendron etc from which it draws water and nutrients. It is native to Europe , western and southern Asia. It is commonly found in the sub himalayan region of Nepal. The fruiting takes place in the month of Baisakh/Jestha. The fruit is gummy and is liked by the local children as chewing gum.

Okhar at Kailsahmandu, Bajura

8. Okhar , Juglan regia  is a deciduous tree found between the altitude of 1500-2500m.  The  fruit is ready to eat in the month of Asoj/Karthik. The seed coat is very hard but the inner material is very  good source of fat. Generally, the people living in the Himalayan region take 4-5 Okhar during their hike to mountain. The fruit is also used in the extraction of oil for cooking the Sel-roti in the western part part of Nepal.

Bhuekafal at Budhinanda, Bajura

9. Bhukafal, Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. There are as many as 20 species, hybrids and cultivars.The garden strawberry is the hybrid of this genus. They are distributed widely in the sub Himalayan region of Nepal. The fruit is generally small in size as compared to garden strawberry but tastes very similar.

Dimber tree Chedadaha, Bajura

Dimber fruits

10. Dimber, Benthamidia capitata  (Wall.) is the fruit tree found in the Sub-Himalayan region but not widely distributed as other fruits.The morphology is similar to that of Litchi but the taste is different. The fruits of some trees are sweet while some fruits are bitter. The fruiting takes place in the month of Asoj/Karthik. 

Tarachauk at Pandhara, Bajura

11. Tarachauk,  Hippophae sp   is a deciduous tree growing to 15m at a fast rate. The fruiting takes place generally in the month of Asoj/Karthik . The fruit are small, round and yellow in color. The fruit are generallly eaten raw and are sour in taste . The local people extarct the juice from the fruit and sell in the local market. The fruit juice can be used in the treatment of Cardiac disorder , purifies blood and rich in various vitamins. 

Dudhilo at Lamagada, Bajura

12. Dudhilo, Ficus nerifolia Sm. is the fodder species of the sub himlayan region. The new twigs of this tree are used as fodder for the domestic animals. The fruit is dark purple in colour  and sweet in taste. Generally, this tree is found in every farmland for fodder and only few trees yield good quality of fruits as the new branches  are cut down for the fodder each season. The fruiting occurs in the month of Jestha/Asar.

Timilo at Lamagada, Bajura

13. Timilo, Ficus auriculata Lour. is the tree found in the sub himalyan region. Generally this tree is found around the village and farm, the local people use the broad leaf of the plant for the various rites and rituals . The tree  is crooked in shape and the fruits are round, popularly known as fig. The fruits ripe in the month of Shrawan. It is used as a remedy for the indigestion, good for piles etc.

Lekali Chutro at Khaptad National Park

Kalo Aiselu Natyeswori Temple, Bajura

Timilo Fruits at Lamagada, Bajura