vikankata :

Ripening fruit Photograph by: Dinesh Valke

Cultivation:

A very adaptable plant, it grows in the drier to moist tropics from sea level to an elevation of 2,400 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 40°c, but can tolerate 10 - 48°c. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of -2°c or lower, but young growth will be severely damaged at -1°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 750 - 1,400mm, but tolerates 500 - 2,000mm.
Prefers a position in full sun in a fertile, well-drained soil. Tolerant of a variety of soils. Prefers a pH in the range .5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 8. Plants are fairly drought resistant once established

Propogation:

Seed -
Layering
Grafting

Harvesting:

A dioecious plant. Whilst female trees will often fruit in the absence of a male plant, for better crops both male and female plants should be grown.
It coppices very well

Flowering and fruiting: November-March