10 Seeds
Cultivation: easy
Seed Production: Beginner
Sowing: all year round in a protected environment, Tmin germination: 16°C
Pepino Dulce (Solanum muricatum)
Sweet Pepino (Solanum muricatum): from the Andes, an unusual fruit with a delightful flavor and inviting appearance. The heart-shaped fruit is yellow with purple streaks, fragrant, with firm yet tender flesh, very few seeds, and an exotic flavor somewhere between a melon and a pear (hence the common name melon-pear). The plant has a bushy habit, is very productive, and tolerates low temperatures (down to -10°C), though not for prolonged periods. It can therefore be grown in many areas of Italy as a perennial, while in areas with prohibitive winter temperatures, it can be grown as an annual, producing fruit the same year as sowing. It is an exceptionally hardy species, with no particular soil requirements and affected by very few plant diseases, growing and producing rapidly. It propagates easily from cuttings; simply cut a portion of a branch and place it in water to see it root within a few days. It is a plant that will give you great satisfaction, even for beginners who will be able to gain experience with rooting cuttings (made easier here).
In Central and Southern Italy, production lasts approximately 9 months a year.In cooking, it is often used in salads, but it is also eaten fresh. The more aromatic varieties are used in the preparation of jams, ice creams, and fruit juices. Nutritionally, the pepino is rich in potassium, which is very useful for intestinal health and in combating hypertension. It is particularly rich in magnesium, calcium, and copper, with consequent benefits for the nervous system and bones. It also provides vitamins A, B, C, K, and beta-carotene.
It is low in calories, containing 15 to 23 calories per 100 grams of fruit: this makes pepino suitable for diabetics, the obese, heart patients, and those suffering from liver disease or digestive disorders in general. Finally, many researchers have found that the phytochemicals present in the fruit have strong anti-cancer potential and inhibit bad cholesterol in favor of good cholesterol.Credits: https://www.rivistadiagraria.org/articoli/anno-2018/pepino-super-solanacea/