The fruit of the catmon tree

Before it was called Santa Barbara, historical accounts say it was named catmon, as this variety of trees were landmarks in the route up Central Panay.


Katmon (Family: Dilleniaceae, Synonyms: Dilenia speciosa, other names: Bihis, kulammbug, palali) has thick foliage and distinctly big white flowers that eventually becomes round fruits.

The fruit is covered with almost overlapping sort of dry skin that eventually becoems fleshy as it nears the core.

What remains of the flower can still be found inside making it attractive but it reminds me of rambutan in some ways.

It then becomes pulpy but look at those pulp so big that it puts pomelo and other citrus to shame.



The sample fruit I got seemed to be still not ripe (I assume) that it wasn't that juicy and looks like a squashed bean.

The fruit is sour but refreshing - my tastebuds likened the taste to kamias with hints of green apple and like the pomelo it becomes sweet at some certain points.

A perfect candidate for being juiced up if they can be easily extracted and if supplies are plentiful, they can be turned into jams and jellies and be part of local cooking like sinigang and pinamlahan just like kamias and the local batwan. 

The only surviving in the whole town which was previously named after it is right next to the police station - safely guarding it like a treasure. After all it is the only living symbol of  the town of Santa Barbara...



UPDATE: Through the efforts of the LGU Santa Barbara speaheaded by the Municipal Tourism Office,  there are now around 20 CATMON trees thriving in the Victory Plaza of Santa Barbara, Iloilo.

Catmon tree planting activities were held during the Independence Day celeberations as well as during the Cry of Santa Barbara and Kahilwayan Festivals in the past 7 years.

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