Naranjilla – a perennial herbaceous shrub 1 to 1.5 m tall with thick, but brittle stems and large leaf blades up to 30 cm long. The leaves are dark green, decorated with purple or white veins, and covered with numerous purple hairs and rare elastic prickles. In protected ground, a leaf blade can reach 90 cm in length and 80 cm in width.
Naranjilla fruits are round-elliptical, orange, 3 to 8 cm in diameter, covered with easily removable white hairs. Inside, the fruit is divided into four sectors by thick septa of light orange or yellow-green flesh and contains a large number of cream-white seeds. The flesh is acid-sweet, juicy, with an aroma of pineapple, strawberry, and tomato; its taste is often compared to a combination of pineapple, passion fruit, and strawberry.
The plant requires high humidity, does not tolerate cold and direct sunlight. The optimal temperature is from 17 °C to 21 °C, but when grown indoors it is kept not lower than 26 °C. The soil should be loose, hold moisture well, but be drained; usually a mixture of leaf soil, chernozem, humus, and sand (ratio 2:1:1:1) is used. Seeds germinate within 10–20 days after sowing, and the seedling can be transplanted into pots with a volume of up to 2 L, then increased to 10–15 L. In spring, plants are moved to fresh air; it flowers and fruits ripen in about six months.
Naranjilla reproduces by seeds and vegetatively (cuttings or grafting). When grown indoors, artificial pollination is required, as well as periodic airing and shaking of the branches. Repotting is done annually: in the first two years – into pots of larger diameter, and thereafter – only the top layer of soil is replaced with fresh.
Yield can reach 10 kg of fruits per bush per year. Fruits are rich in pepsin, vitamins A, C, and B, proteins, phosphorus, calcium, iron; they contribute to improved sleep, reduced cholesterol, and blood cleansing. However, medical recommendations advise against excessive consumption by people with allergies, low blood pressure, or liver diseases.
Naranjilla fruits are widely used in cooking: fresh, in juices, jams, preserves, wines, pies, candies, ice cream, yogurt, salads, and jellies. In Ecuador and Colombia, a national drink called sorbete is made from them – a sweetened juice beaten into a frothy acid-sweet green liquid.
