by Elena Zappa
-part 2a - Subtropical fruits
Acca Sellowiana
Pineapple Guava, Feijoa
Myrtaceae
Southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
Evergreen ornamental fruit-bearing plants. They can grow up to 2-5
metres high. They were imported to France from La Plata in 1890 and introduced
to Italy in 1894.
Originally they were pollinated humming birds, but in Europe by bees.
They are frequently self-sterile. Fertilization then calls for 2 different
varieties. The fruit is an oval or spherical berry. The skin is waxy, rough or
smooth, depending on the variety with a deep green or yellowy-green colour.
The outer pulp is thick, whitish and grainy. The taste is semi-sweet
and delicious. Inside there is a transparent gelatinous granular substance
containing 20-40 seeds.
The fruits are ripe from October to December
There are various plants in the lower part of the Hanbury Gardens, the
largest of which is near the Roman road. Their fruit ripens in the autumn, from
October until December.
Carica Quercifolia
Paw Paw, Higuera del Monte
Caricaceae
South America
A little known sub tropical fruit. The local name "Higuera del Monte"as in
the common fig originates from Argentina because of the white lattice on
the fruit. It grows to 5-8m. This is a dioecious plant with masculine and
feminine examples. The fruit is a small berry and measures 3-5 cm long, 1-2 cm
in diameter. The fruit is of little commercial value, but rich in vitamin C and
is rather astringent taste. It ripens from August to December. Last winter
the tree rats damaged several branches by eating the bark. There are
examples of both sexes of this plant in the lower part of the Hanbury Gardens
among the exotic fruit trees, they were planted in 1974.
Carissa Macrocarpa
Natal Plum
Apocynaceae
South Africa (Natal)
The Natal plum is a spiny shrub with thick shiny dark green foliage, the
leaves are opposite and rigid. The single flowers are white and fragrant. The fruit
is an edible oval berry similar to a plum, usually consumed only in South
Africa in fruit salads or jams. It is red both inside and out, the taste is rather acid
like an unripe cherry. There are some examples in the Hanbury gardens on
the South Terrace of the Palazzo.
Casimiroa Edulis
White Sapote or Mexican apple
Rutaceae
C.America, Mexico
This plant comes from the Central American plateaus and was highly
prized by the natives for the hypnotic properties of the flour of the seeds.
The tree is long living and grows to a height of 8-10 m. It has
evergreen compound leaves. The size of the fruit varies between a large nut and
an orange; when it ripens the colour is a greeny-yellow. The pulp is whitish
with a delicious buttery sweet taste. The fruit ripens from September to October.
A good example of Casimiroa, planted by Daniel Hanbury in December
1867, grows over the Roman road.
Cudrania Tricuspidata
Moraceae
Korea, Central China
A vigorous tree that grows to a height of 8m, it is deciduous with
shallow roots, it regenerates easily from suckers. One can extract a yellow
dye substance from the roots.
The red fruit has an acid resinous taste, resembling a mulberry. They
ripen from October to November and are edible (in modest quantities) both
fresh and bottled. There is an example in the lower part of the Hanbury
Gardens, introduced between 1912 and1938.
Diospyros Kaki
Kaki or Persimmon fruit
Ebenaceae
China S. Korea and Japan
A deciduous tree with shiny leaves and reaching 10m in height. It is
grown both ornamentally and for its fruit. The fruit is orange, large oblong or
conical to somewhat flat in shape The Kaki can produce fruit without
pollination. (parthenocarpically) In some cultivars the fruit is edible direct from the
tree when they ripen. In parthenocarpic cultivars the fruit is astringent and
ripens better when it is stored in straw. Or they can be kept near apples which
emit ethanol gases to speed up the process. The Kaki ripens in November.
There is another species of Diospyros, originally from China, called
Diospyros wilsonii grown in the Hanbury Gardens, which produces delicious fruit.
Dovyalis caffra
Umkokolo, Kei-apple
Flacourtiaceae
South Africa
This is a small spiny tree or shrub, with leathery evergreen foliage. The
flowers are without petals and the plants are of distinct sexes. The fruit resembles
a plum and is about 2-4 cm in diameter. Their skin is smooth and
greeny-yellow. The pulp is yellow, juicy and sugary with a slightly acid taste, but a
delicious smell. The fruit can be eaten fresh or bottled. The fruit ripens from July
until September.
There are two large female trees in The Hanbury Gardens, grown from
seed introduced by Daniel Hanbury in 1872.
Eriobotrya japonica
Loquat or Japanese Medlar
Rosaceae
China, Japan
This tree is decorative with leathery evergreen foliage, and grows to a
height of 7-8m.
The fruit varies a lot in shape size and weight, depending on the cultivar.
Their colour is yellow-pale orange. They self seed with great ease through
the wildlife in the garden. There are a great number of cultivars.
Eugenia guabiju
Eugenia, Stopper
Myrtaceae
Argentina
This is an evergreen shrub. The fruit is about the size of a cherry and
black, the consistency and taste are similar to a grape. They can be used in
syrups, jellies and jams. They fruit abundantly and those that fall to the ground
under the tree germinate with great ease.
They flower in May and June, the fruit ripens from August until
October. There are examples in the lower part of the Hanbury Gardens, they
came from the experimental nurseries of "La Leonina" at Beaulieu-sur-Mer
between 1974 and 1976.
Hovenia dulcis
The Raisin Tree
Rhamnaceae
China
This tree is grown for its edible fruits. The edible part consists of the
fleshy stalks which turn red when ripe, this happens during the winter. They
taste sugary and resemble raisins. They can be used in confectionery or
drinks. The species was acquired from Hyeres and introduced to the Hanbury
Gardens in December of 1867. There are still examples of a
Hovenia dulcis in the Lower part of the Garden, which were planted between 1960 and 1980.
Macademia Ternifolia
Maroochie Nut
Proteaceae
Eastern Australia
It grows to a height of 10m and has shiny leathery evergreen foliage;
mostly coarsely toothed in whorls of 3.
The fruit is globular, the size varies between a hazelnut and a walnut.
The outside of the fruit is green leathery and slender. The inside comprises
2 sections, one is very hard, smooth thick and shiny; the other is a white
"almond" tasting like a Brazil nut. The fruit ripens from August until
November.This plant was imported and cultivated in Europe, on the Cote d'Azur and in
Liguria in about 1869.
The Maroochie nut found in the lower part of the Hanbury Gardens
was planted in the early seventies
Musa x paradisiacal
Edible Banana, French Plantain
Musaceae
This plant originated in the mountain region of Assam, Burma and
Indochina, but has been naturalized in the Far East from ancient times. They were
certainly known to the Romans, because they were mentioned by Pliny. Later
the banana was introduced to tropical regions of America, where conditions
were ideal. From a botanical aspect all cultivated banana hybrids are of 2
species: musa acuminata and musa balbisiana, both originated from India.
The cultivated banana became divided into 2 groups: the
plantain whose fruit is not good to eat raw, but better when cooked and the
banana whose fruit is good when raw.
They are herbaceous plants growing to a height of 7-9m .The leaves are
very large and have sheaths wrapped around the stem.
The fruit is often parthenocarpic, formed without pollination. They ripen
from May through to October. In the Hanbury Gardens they are found both in
the upper and lower parts, they were originally introduced in the early
seventies coming from a flower bed of the La Mortola restaurant.
Persea americana
Avocado Pear, Avocado
Lauraceae
Mexico, Central America, as far as Peru and Brazil
They grow to 15-20m with shiny evergreen foliage.
The avocado was mentioned in the chronicles of the first Spanish
expedition to the New World. (the latter part of 1500) but the cultivation outside
its natural habitat came much later. It was introduced to Italy in 1909 in
San Remo.
There are numerous varieties and cultivars of persea americana.
The fruit varies in shape and size; the skin can be both smooth or rough;
the colours vary from green to dark violet or coffee. When they ripen the
pulp becomes a pale greeny-yellowy colour with a buttery consistency.
They have a single seed variable in weight and shape. In some
cultivars (especially the West Indian varieties) when you shake the fruit you can
hear the seed rattle inside. They ripen from November to January.
The avocado grows in the lower part of the Hanbury Gardens, they
were planted between 1965 and 1975.
Psidium cattleyanum "Purpureum" and
Psidium Cattleyanum "Luteum"
Strawberry Guava, Cattley Guava
Myrtaceae
Brazil
This small tree with shiny leathery shiny foliage comes from Brazil.
The fruit is a red or yellow spherical berry with a sweet and juicy pulp
that smells delicious and reminds one of strawberries. They are used in jams
and ice cream.
The fruit of the cultivar "Luteum" (Yellow Strawberry Guava) has
yellow fruit that ripen from September to October; whereas the cultivar
"Purpureum" (Purple Strawberry Guava) has red to purple fruit that ripens from October
to December.
The actual plants in the Garden were planted recently, but the species
has been grown here since 1889.