The milk tree (photo). Why is it so called?

On Earth there are many amazing plants that are known only in areas where they grow. You've probably heard of sausage or bread tree. But today the topic of our article will milk the tree. Why so called? If a lot of gives milk? What is its benefit? With these and many other questions we will try to understand.

In South and Central America, stretches a vast grove of big trees with shiny, as if polished tiles. Their fruits can not be eaten. However, local residents appreciate the trees.

The Tree of milk: description

This tree, which is called a dairy or cow (Brosimum galactodendron), belongs to the mulberry family.

Milk tree grows to a height of 30 meters. He whole leaves, flowers stair, with many stamens in capitate inflorescences. The milk tree grows in South America. Like other members of the family, brosimum emit a milky juice. However, unlike other milky plants it is not only not poisonous, but quite edible, and even useful and very tasty. The locals use this delicious and fragrant juice as a substitute for cow's milk. They often call this plant a tree-a cow.

This large tree belongs to the family krapivinathey, subfamily attackpower, or hlebopriemnyh. The trunk may be up to one meter in diameter.

Milk the tree yields a juice, which the local people call milk. Indeed, it tastes very similar to this, familiar to us from childhood drink. Therefore, the inhabitants of South America drink it constantly, and now many Europeans found it extremely tasty. Juice expires quite active – within half an hour you can fill them a bottle.

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How you extract the juice

Usually, to do this, drill a small hole in the barrel. In some cases the juice is extracted from green wood, which gives it for a few weeks.

Where such tree grows?

To say that the milk tree – this undemanding plant. It can grow on very poor soil, but the taste quality of “milk” do not change – it is always nutritious and delicious. It grows in tropical countries of South America. In addition, the milk tree is successfully cultivated in tropical Asia.

Fruits

Milk the tree has fruits about the size of an Apple. They are considered inedible, but contain extremely juicy and pleasant on taste heart. Anyway, so say those who managed to try it. However, the fruits of the milk tree is not as valuable as its juice.

Structure of the milky juice

The milky Juice of the tree contains water, sugar, vegetable wax and a little resin. In appearance it is a thick and viscous liquid. It the midst of real milk and has a balsamic aroma. Its composition is very close to cow's milk, and tastes like cream, sugar.

The question Arises: “What is the role of a milky juice in plant life?”. As scientists have found, is quite diverse.

The Milky vessels cover all the tissues of the tree. They are filled with the emulsion a milky color. Cow's milk – it is also emulsion. Or in other words, the liquid, which contains particles of other substances. The milky juice of trees and other plants discovered proteins, fats, sugar and starch. Formed in the leaves of organic matter accumulate in the vessels of plants. During the ripening of seeds milky SAP in their development pays its reserves. At this time it becomes watery and liquid.

Using in cooking

The milky Juice of the tree does not deteriorate within seven-ten days, even in the tropics, does not clot when mixed with water. The milky juice has the taste and appearance of natural cow's milk. It's perfectly harmless. This confirms the fact that the locals feed them ore babies. If the juice to boil, it turns into a delicious cottage cheese.

The Thick juice of white color abundantly flows out of the slit in the substituted dishes. Many believe that the color and density of milky juice are more like a good cream, and if it wasn't an unusual smell, it would be possible to decide what is cream, just brought from the dairy. After a short stay on the air, the juice becomes quite thick, and it is consumed as cheese. If this “cheese mass” to add a little water, then a long time it will remain liquid.

Natives of South America drink it like regular milk, dipping into it maize bread. In addition, they use it with chocolate, coffee and tea. For many, this juice seems to taste better than real cream. The fact that it has a pleasant smell of cinnamon.

The Juice of this amazing tree is very popular throughout the tropical parts of South America. In whatever quantities it's used (although nutritionists advise not to get this product), juice does no harm to human health, and therefore we can assume that the milk tree is an unusual and useful gift of a generous nature.

In addition to delicious and healthy drink from the milky juice of the American aborigines get special substance, the consistency and composition resembling wax. From it they made candles.

Folk medicine

This tree is made of medical remedy that has been proven in the treatment of asthma.

American nutritionists recommend it for baby food and to maintain the strength of the elderly.

Where else apply the milky juice

The Local population vaporizes the juice and gets a thick substance is yellow, which is very similar to beeswax. It has found wide use in the economy – it is used to repair utensils for hermetic closing of vessels. In addition to “milk” from the milky juice of this tree the native Americans have a special waxy substance from which they later made candles.

Recently, the export of juice milk wood in other countries.

Corvara

In Addition to the above-described tree in the forests of South America grow and other trees, “gives milk”. For example, Corvara. It is also called a tree-a pacifier. Scientists call it kallioras useful. Quite a bit of notching the bark of this amazing miracle tree, as it will start to leak milk.

This is not the tropical exotic. On the contrary, the natural habitat of this tree is quite extensive. Scientists and researchers argue that in the Amazon lowlands of these trees there are several million copies.

Each tree Corvara at a time can produce up to 4 litres «milk». It's enough to make an incision on the tree trunk and immediately stream will flow thick white liquid, the consistency is very reminiscent of cow's milk.

Juice of sorvari has a slightly bitter taste. So for a long time it was considered poisonous. Today it is scientifically proven that the juice of sorvari not only absolutely harmless, but is actually the closest in chemical composition to natural cow's milk.

Recently, scientists from South America began to popularize milk wood. They believe that the juice of the milk tree can Supplement a rather meager diet of the inhabitants of the tropics.

Milk galactodendron and sarvary in appearance like the milky SAP of other plants, for example, milkweed, dandelion, or celandine. The milky juice of the poppy in a frozen form known as opium is the strongest tool it has long been used in medicine. Juice kucukayasofya trees used for the production of rubber. Some types of trees-mlechnikov get raw materials for dyes. And the juice of galactodendron and sarvary, as it turns out, used for food.