Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

In message , Sacha
writes
On 1/12/07 20:01, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Over on uk.rec.gardening, we're trying to identify this mysterious fruit
which we were given a couple of days ago. It is growing on a bush in a
garden near Bristol:

They smell very faintly citrusy to me and each seed chamber has two seeds in
each side. She's not a gardener so can only tell me that the leaves are
leaf shaped, not huge, not leathery and that the fruits are autumnal.
http://i16.tinypic.com/7x8rupj.jpg

Here's another pic of it cut across the fruit. You can see the indentations
of the ridges clearly. As I say, it's about the size of a chestnut and a
little reminiscent of one when peeled and cooked.
http://i4.tinypic.com/7yofkfd.jpg

It looks very quince like, and it's the right time of year for a bush
full of yellow fruit. The major difference to the quince here is the
regular deep grooving of the outside. Is the bush spiky? Is the skin
waxy? does it smell 'perfumed'?

I think we've pretty much done the 'is it quince' (Chaenomeles or Cydonia)
on urg and if it is, nobody can get to it. As you so rightly say, it's the
grooving that stumps everyone. My friend describes it as looking exactly
like a small (chestnut sized) pumpkin. One person has said it seems more
likely to be of the Pomoceae family because of the seed arrangement. I'm
totally stumped by it but so, it seems, is everyone else. To us, it has a
faint citrus smell so one sort of contradicts the other. It's peculiar
because while fresh it smells more citrus-y but as it shrivels and dries out
it's beginning to smell like apples going off!

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Makes fantastic aromatic jelly (after a lot of effort) and has a
wonderful display of strong pink blossom in the spring and the beautiful
bright yellow fruit in the autumn. But also has lethal thorns that leave
me covered in cuts and scratches after a pruning session.

FYI it roots really easily from woody cuttings and the seeds seems to
sprout readily if the fruit is just left on the ground over winter.

It's my favourite plant in the garden, I inherited it as a largish bush
when I bought a house and take a cutting with me when I move.

(x-post added to urg)


--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 2/12/07 11:09, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
On 1/12/07 20:01, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Over on uk.rec.gardening, we're trying to identify this mysterious fruit
which we were given a couple of days ago. It is growing on a bush in a
garden near Bristol:

They smell very faintly citrusy to me and each seed chamber has two seeds
in
each side. She's not a gardener so can only tell me that the leaves are
leaf shaped, not huge, not leathery and that the fruits are autumnal.
http://i16.tinypic.com/7x8rupj.jpg

Here's another pic of it cut across the fruit. You can see the
indentations
of the ridges clearly. As I say, it's about the size of a chestnut and a
little reminiscent of one when peeled and cooked.
http://i4.tinypic.com/7yofkfd.jpg

It looks very quince like, and it's the right time of year for a bush
full of yellow fruit. The major difference to the quince here is the
regular deep grooving of the outside. Is the bush spiky? Is the skin
waxy? does it smell 'perfumed'?

I think we've pretty much done the 'is it quince' (Chaenomeles or Cydonia)
on urg and if it is, nobody can get to it. As you so rightly say, it's the
grooving that stumps everyone. My friend describes it as looking exactly
like a small (chestnut sized) pumpkin. One person has said it seems more
likely to be of the Pomoceae family because of the seed arrangement. I'm
totally stumped by it but so, it seems, is everyone else. To us, it has a
faint citrus smell so one sort of contradicts the other. It's peculiar
because while fresh it smells more citrus-y but as it shrivels and dries out
it's beginning to smell like apples going off!

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Makes fantastic aromatic jelly (after a lot of effort) and has a
wonderful display of strong pink blossom in the spring and the beautiful
bright yellow fruit in the autumn. But also has lethal thorns that leave
me covered in cuts and scratches after a pruning session.

FYI it roots really easily from woody cuttings and the seeds seems to
sprout readily if the fruit is just left on the ground over winter.

It's my favourite plant in the garden, I inherited it as a largish bush
when I bought a house and take a cutting with me when I move.

(x-post added to urg)

Sorry but no, that's not it. The ridges are neither regular enough, nor
pronounced enough. We have a Chaenomeles on the wall outside the front of
the house and I've had a look at that one, too. My friend says it looks
like a minute pumpkin, which is a very good description. Ray thinks it
looks like a small (as in teeny) Satsuma once peeled and of course without
the white pith etc.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
On 2/12/07 11:09, in article , "bof"
wrote:

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Sorry but no, that's not it. The ridges are neither regular enough, nor
pronounced enough. We have a Chaenomeles on the wall outside the front of
the house and I've had a look at that one, too. My friend says it looks
like a minute pumpkin, which is a very good description. Ray thinks it
looks like a small (as in teeny) Satsuma once peeled and of course without
the white pith etc.

The photo that bof gives does look suspiciously similar to the pic your
posted.

Since the lady who is asking you to identify the plant walks past the plant
each day, can't she nick a bit of the foliage and give it to you?

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

In message , Sacha
writes
On 2/12/07 11:09, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
On 1/12/07 20:01, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Over on uk.rec.gardening, we're trying to identify this mysterious fruit
which we were given a couple of days ago. It is growing on a bush in a
garden near Bristol:

They smell very faintly citrusy to me and each seed chamber has two seeds
in
each side. She's not a gardener so can only tell me that the leaves are
leaf shaped, not huge, not leathery and that the fruits are autumnal.
http://i16.tinypic.com/7x8rupj.jpg

Here's another pic of it cut across the fruit. You can see the
indentations
of the ridges clearly. As I say, it's about the size of a chestnut and a
little reminiscent of one when peeled and cooked.
http://i4.tinypic.com/7yofkfd.jpg

It looks very quince like, and it's the right time of year for a bush
full of yellow fruit. The major difference to the quince here is the
regular deep grooving of the outside. Is the bush spiky? Is the skin
waxy? does it smell 'perfumed'?

I think we've pretty much done the 'is it quince' (Chaenomeles or Cydonia)
on urg and if it is, nobody can get to it. As you so rightly say, it's the
grooving that stumps everyone. My friend describes it as looking exactly
like a small (chestnut sized) pumpkin. One person has said it seems more
likely to be of the Pomoceae family because of the seed arrangement. I'm
totally stumped by it but so, it seems, is everyone else. To us, it has a
faint citrus smell so one sort of contradicts the other. It's peculiar
because while fresh it smells more citrus-y but as it shrivels and dries out
it's beginning to smell like apples going off!

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Makes fantastic aromatic jelly (after a lot of effort) and has a
wonderful display of strong pink blossom in the spring and the beautiful
bright yellow fruit in the autumn. But also has lethal thorns that leave
me covered in cuts and scratches after a pruning session.

FYI it roots really easily from woody cuttings and the seeds seems to
sprout readily if the fruit is just left on the ground over winter.

It's my favourite plant in the garden, I inherited it as a largish bush
when I bought a house and take a cutting with me when I move.

(x-post added to urg)

Sorry but no, that's not it. The ridges are neither regular enough, nor
pronounced enough. We have a Chaenomeles on the wall outside the front of
the house and I've had a look at that one, too. My friend says it looks
like a minute pumpkin, which is a very good description. Ray thinks it
looks like a small (as in teeny) Satsuma once peeled and of course without
the white pith etc.


How about this:
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Chaenomeles_sp.htm
there's a couple photos of unripe fruit at the bottom of the page which
are much closer.


--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
On 2/12/07 11:09, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
On 1/12/07 20:01, in article , "bof"
wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Over on uk.rec.gardening, we're trying to identify this mysterious fruit
which we were given a couple of days ago. It is growing on a bush in a
garden near Bristol:

They smell very faintly citrusy to me and each seed chamber has two seeds
in
each side. She's not a gardener so can only tell me that the leaves are
leaf shaped, not huge, not leathery and that the fruits are autumnal.
http://i16.tinypic.com/7x8rupj.jpg

Here's another pic of it cut across the fruit. You can see the
indentations
of the ridges clearly. As I say, it's about the size of a chestnut and a
little reminiscent of one when peeled and cooked.
http://i4.tinypic.com/7yofkfd.jpg

It looks very quince like, and it's the right time of year for a bush
full of yellow fruit. The major difference to the quince here is the
regular deep grooving of the outside. Is the bush spiky? Is the skin
waxy? does it smell 'perfumed'?

I think we've pretty much done the 'is it quince' (Chaenomeles or Cydonia)
on urg and if it is, nobody can get to it. As you so rightly say, it's the
grooving that stumps everyone. My friend describes it as looking exactly
like a small (chestnut sized) pumpkin. One person has said it seems more
likely to be of the Pomoceae family because of the seed arrangement. I'm
totally stumped by it but so, it seems, is everyone else. To us, it has a
faint citrus smell so one sort of contradicts the other. It's peculiar
because while fresh it smells more citrus-y but as it shrivels and dries
out
it's beginning to smell like apples going off!

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Makes fantastic aromatic jelly (after a lot of effort) and has a
wonderful display of strong pink blossom in the spring and the beautiful
bright yellow fruit in the autumn. But also has lethal thorns that leave
me covered in cuts and scratches after a pruning session.

FYI it roots really easily from woody cuttings and the seeds seems to
sprout readily if the fruit is just left on the ground over winter.

It's my favourite plant in the garden, I inherited it as a largish bush
when I bought a house and take a cutting with me when I move.

(x-post added to urg)

Sorry but no, that's not it. The ridges are neither regular enough, nor
pronounced enough. We have a Chaenomeles on the wall outside the front of
the house and I've had a look at that one, too. My friend says it looks
like a minute pumpkin, which is a very good description. Ray thinks it
looks like a small (as in teeny) Satsuma once peeled and of course without
the white pith etc.


How about this:
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Chaenomeles_sp.htm
there's a couple photos of unripe fruit at the bottom of the page which
are much closer.

No, the shape is much more 'squashed' looking and the ridges absolutely
regular - at least on the two we were given.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 2/12/07 15:05, in article
, "FarmI"
ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
On 2/12/07 11:09, in article , "bof"
wrote:

All that sounds like the bush I have that was identified as a
Japonica/Japanese quince by a knowledgeable source. Having just braved
the wind and rain here's what the fruit off mine looks like:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/00f1c46a.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/bofphoto/108fc07f.jpg

not such regular pronounced ridging but it's definitely there.

Sorry but no, that's not it. The ridges are neither regular enough, nor
pronounced enough. We have a Chaenomeles on the wall outside the front of
the house and I've had a look at that one, too. My friend says it looks
like a minute pumpkin, which is a very good description. Ray thinks it
looks like a small (as in teeny) Satsuma once peeled and of course without
the white pith etc.

The photo that bof gives does look suspiciously similar to the pic your
posted.

Since the lady who is asking you to identify the plant walks past the plant
each day, can't she nick a bit of the foliage and give it to you?


They're going to ask about it with the owner and photograph it, too, when
the weather permits. It's been really vile in the west country, so I hope
everyone and their garden has survived unscathed!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Found it. Solanum integrifolium. they come in green red or yellow

http://www.gardenersnet.com/artwork/pumpkinstick_10.jpg

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/pumpkinonastick.htm

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 2/12/07 20:10, in article WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, "graham"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham


Thanks for the suggestion, Graham but those don't fit the bill. These are SO
regularly and distinctly segmented that there doesn't seem (to my untutored
eye) to be any room for manoeuvre, to be honest. They are squat, rather
than oblong, the segmentation is very distinct and in fact, is becoming more
so as they desiccate. The dried up, sad looking sample I have on my desk
now is probably about the size of a 10p piece, or a less and it was the
smallest of the two we were given.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

graham wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.

That was my first thought, actually, but the seeds seemed too small to
me for that.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"He can't be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably
is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush"

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

In message WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, graham
writes

"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham

I looked into that as a possibility when the image was first shown.
Eriobotrya has persistent sepals at the apex of the fruit, and the
fruits are smaller (1/2" in diameter). (The last applies to the wild
type; it may be that there are cultivars with larger fruits.)
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

In article WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, says...

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham



Although the fruit may have some similarities they have large evergreen
leaves so you would have thought would have been mentioned, the original
description sounded like the "pumpkins" were spread over bare branches.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

In message , Charlie
Pridham writes
In article WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, says...

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham



Although the fruit may have some similarities they have large evergreen
leaves so you would have thought would have been mentioned, the original
description sounded like the "pumpkins" were spread over bare branches.
It certainly sounds possibly that it may be some sort of japonica to me
- mine produces red fruit (which are poisonous) but to have them at this
time of year is a bit of a mystery. Ii have not researched japonicas
but mine flowers in spring and the fruit is a result. It's all over by
May. It is strange that I have nothing in either the RHS books or
cookery books.

PS Note for limey and Sacha - as a result of looking I have found my
Sarah Brown Vegetarian Cookery book - Oh joy!
--
June Hughes

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 3/12/07 08:24, in article ,
"Charlie Pridham" wrote:

In article WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, says...

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham



Although the fruit may have some similarities they have large evergreen
leaves so you would have thought would have been mentioned, the original
description sounded like the "pumpkins" were spread over bare branches.

I emailed the Solanum description and a pic to my 'informants', so I'll let
you all know. I could only tell you what I was told, I'm afraid!
--
Sacha

Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
 

On 3/12/07 08:42, in article , "June
Hughes" wrote:

In message , Charlie
Pridham writes
In article WiE4j.87755$cD.32967@pd7urf2no, says...

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 2/12/07 15:33, in article , "bof"

Coming in rather late - I wonder if it is a variety of Loquat, Eriobotrya
japonica. I know the typical fruit is not grooved, hence the suggestion
that it's a variety. The stucture is similar.
Graham



Although the fruit may have some similarities they have large evergreen
leaves so you would have thought would have been mentioned, the original
description sounded like the "pumpkins" were spread over bare branches.
It certainly sounds possibly that it may be some sort of japonica to me
- mine produces red fruit (which are poisonous) but to have them at this
time of year is a bit of a mystery. Ii have not researched japonicas
but mine flowers in spring and the fruit is a result. It's all over by
May. It is strange that I have nothing in either the RHS books or
cookery books.

PS Note for limey and Sacha - as a result of looking I have found my
Sarah Brown Vegetarian Cookery book - Oh joy!

Every cloud.......
--
Sacha