Hi all, I've been for years, apparently, misidentifying a plant
commonly used for landscaping in Southern California. I've been
calling it "barberry" because that was the only definition I could
find that fit it on the web, but have recently found out that barberry
fruits aren't very large. This plant I'm thinking of, which can be
found all over San Diego, Long Beach, and LA, has large oblong red to
purplish fruits, about the size and shape of pecans, several small
lentil-shaped black seeds inside, and a milky substance. The fruits
are sweet and slightly tart. The leaves are, as I remember, shiny on
top, but I can't remember the shape or size. I do remember the forked
thorns. They fork just once, to make a "T" shape. The bushes I saw
were fairly small, I don't remember seeing any over 6 feet in height,
and many were only 3 or 4 feet (but most I saw were used in hedges,
and trimmed to 3 feet or less).

I remember for sure finding them in the parking lot of Shoreline
Village in Long Beach (where the Yard House is) and growing along San
Ysidro Blvd. just a half-mile from the border.

Does this ring a bell with anyone? I'd like to try growing these in
the New Mexico desert, but need a positive ID so I can try finding
them online. Thanks -- jc

On 14 May 2007 21:36:48 -0700, jcomeau_ictx
wrote:

Hi all, I've been for years, apparently, misidentifying a plant
commonly used for landscaping in Southern California. I've been
calling it "barberry" because that was the only definition I could
find that fit it on the web, but have recently found out that barberry
fruits aren't very large. This plant I'm thinking of, which can be
found all over San Diego, Long Beach, and LA, has large oblong red to
purplish fruits, about the size and shape of pecans, several small
lentil-shaped black seeds inside, and a milky substance. The fruits
are sweet and slightly tart. The leaves are, as I remember, shiny on
top, but I can't remember the shape or size. I do remember the forked
thorns. They fork just once, to make a "T" shape. The bushes I saw
were fairly small, I don't remember seeing any over 6 feet in height,
and many were only 3 or 4 feet (but most I saw were used in hedges,
and trimmed to 3 feet or less).

I remember for sure finding them in the parking lot of Shoreline
Village in Long Beach (where the Yard House is) and growing along San
Ysidro Blvd. just a half-mile from the border.

Does this ring a bell with anyone? I'd like to try growing these in
the New Mexico desert, but need a positive ID so I can try finding
them online. Thanks -- jc


Sounds like Natal Plum might be it.

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plan...acrocarpa.html

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN

Nasty thorns

On May 14, 10:42 pm, Charles wrote:
On 14 May 2007 21:36:48 -0700, jcomeau_ictx
wrote:
Hi all, I've been for years, apparently, misidentifying a plant
commonly used for landscaping in Southern California. I've been
calling it "barberry" because that was the only definition I could
find that fit it on the web, but have recently found out that barberry
fruits aren't very large.
Sounds like Natal Plum might be it.
Nasty thorns

That's the one! Thanks immensely! Unfortunately too cold-intolerant
for my region, dammit... ah, well...

On May 15, 6:47 am, jcomeau_ictx wrote:
On May 14, 10:42 pm, Charles wrote:

On 14 May 2007 21:36:48 -0700, jcomeau_ictx
wrote:
Hi all, I've been for years, apparently, misidentifying a plant
commonly used for landscaping in Southern California. I've been
calling it "barberry" because that was the only definition I could
find that fit it on the web, but have recently found out that barberry
fruits aren't very large.
Sounds like Natal Plum might be it.
Nasty thorns

That's the one! Thanks immensely! Unfortunately too cold-intolerant
for my region, dammit... ah, well...


Have you seen the New Mexico Gardeners' Guide, by Judith Phillips?
After gardening here for 10 years, I found a lot of good suggestions
in it.

--
Jerry Friedman