The genus Aegle is one of the three monotypic general with deciduous leaves (Poncirus and Feronia are the other two) in the orange subfamily Aurantioideae.
It is known from pre-historic time and has been mentioned in the ancient system of medicinal. The fruits are good to taste containing 40 per cent TSS. All the parts of this tree including stem, bark, root, leaves and fruit at all stages of maturity have medical virtues and have been used in the indigenous medicine for a long time. The ripe fruit is of considerable medical value when it just begins to ripen. The ripe fruit is aromatic, astringent, cooling and laxative. It is grown throughout India as well as in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, and most of the Southeast Asian countries.
Bael fruit is very hardy, subtropical, deciduous tree that can thrive in various soil-climatic conditions and can tolerates alkaline soil, and is not injured by temperatures as low as -7 ° C. The fruit is usually harvested when the peel turns yellowish green and the stem separates easily from the fruit.
The peel of the fruit which is a very hard shell and green to brown in color depends on ripening stage. The appearance of yellow or orange edible pulp is like a boiled pumpkin, possesses a slightly sweet taste and a characteristic floral, terpene-like aroma, ver y fragrant and pleasantly flavored. Seeds are surrounded by slimy transparent mucilage.
Characteristics
of bael fruit
