The guinep is an exotic fruit native to the Caribbean region and the northern parts of South America. Over time, it has been grown in other places too which include southern Florida, California, Israel, Hawaii, and the Philippines to name a few.
Unlike some other fruits of its ilk which may grow on bushes or shrubs, the guinep fruit grows on full-fledged guinep trees that can go as high as 100 feet, often rendering fruit picking a remarkable challenge! These trees grow best in warm, tropical climates. As a corollary, they do not grow well in places which do not uniformly have such climate.
The guinep has over time been known by a number of different names. Scientifically, it is known as Melicoccus bijugatus. Some other names used to refer to the same tree – and thus to the fruit that it bears, include Spanish lime, chenet, quenepe, limoncillo (not to be confused with Limoncello, the lemon liqueur produced in southern Italy), mamón, kinnip, and talpa jacote, among others.