Strange fruit, but what is it ??

www.gb-online.co.uk/archive/fruit.jpg

In article ,
nobody writes:
| Strange fruit, but what is it ??
|
| www.gb-online.co.uk/archive/fruit.jpg

Try Arbutus unedo.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

No its not a strawberry tree, they are approx the size of a small
marble 1cm dia and round. This is about 2.5cm or larger, but is more
squashed.


Try Arbutus unedo.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"nobody" wrote
Strange fruit, but what is it ??

www.gb-online.co.uk/archive/fruit.jpg

Magnolia first came to my mind.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 4/7/08 22:08, in article ,
"nobody" wrote:

No its not a strawberry tree, they are approx the size of a small
marble 1cm dia and round. This is about 2.5cm or larger, but is more
squashed.


Try Arbutus unedo.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Where was it growing? Location might make a difference to size, perhaps.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In message , nobody
writes
No its not a strawberry tree, they are approx the size of a small
marble 1cm dia and round. This is about 2.5cm or larger, but is more
squashed.

Try Cornus kousa or one of its allies, such as Cornus nuttallii or
Cornus capitata.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Antony NT. Torpoint, Cornwall
Growing around the outer wall

Going from the leaves I thougt Magnolia, but googling 'magnolia seed'
images. They were nothing like it.


Where was it growing? Location might make a difference to size, perhaps.

On 5/7/08 05:33, in article ,
"nobody" wrote:

Antony NT. Torpoint, Cornwall
Growing around the outer wall

Going from the leaves I thougt Magnolia, but googling 'magnolia seed'
images. They were nothing like it.


Where was it growing? Location might make a difference to size, perhaps.

I think Stewart's right and it's a Cornus.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Could it possibly be a lychee? http://tinyurl.com/6ls77t

In message , echinosum
writes

'Sacha[_3_ Wrote:
;802079']I think Stewart's right and it's a Cornus.
The fruit is a bit like what appears on my Cornus kousa, (though in
other ways worryingly different), and it appears in the right position
relative to the leaves, but I think the leaves themselves are just
totally wrong for a Cornus. There is a very particular venation
pattern to a cornus leaf which just doesn't seem to be on this one.

I'd worried about the leaves as well - the venation did look different
from Cornus sanguinea - but I looked at a photograph I took of a Cornus
nuttallii at Birmingham Botanic Gardens, and it looked a reasonable
match. One also expects details of the fruits to vary between species.



It isn't right for lychee, either. If you have ever been where they
grow them, you get a "stick" of lychees, ie the fruit grow close
together along a branchlet, as you also get with dates-on-a-stick,
suggesting the flowers were a loose raceme.

As to what else it might be, sorry no further ideas.


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

The fruit is a bit like what appears on my Cornus kousa, (though in other ways worryingly different), and it appears in the right position relative to the leaves, but I think the leaves themselves are just totally wrong for a Cornus. There is a very particular venation pattern to a cornus leaf which just doesn't seem to be on this one.

It isn't right for lychee, either. If you have ever been where they grow them, you get a "stick" of lychees, ie the fruit grow close together along a branchlet, as you also get with dates-on-a-stick, suggesting the flowers were a loose raceme.

As to what else it might be, sorry no further ideas.

I've just been admiring this in my garden. It is rare to see it
mentioned in specialist fora, let alone pop up in a generalist
gardening newsgroup such as here. Stewart was on the right track the
first time with his mention of Cornus because it is indeed Cornus
capitata. The leaf shape in the pics might be a bit misleading, but
they are on a more mature tree and tend to have less attenuated tips
than those of younger specimens. C. capitata is a small, evergreen
tree for milder regions, reaching maybe 5 - 6m. in this country. It
is sometimes known as the Himalayan Strawberry Tree on account of its
dull, but prominent red fruits carried in autumn. Mine was planted as
a 25cms. seedling in 2000 and is now just over 4.5m high with a
similar spread. It is no slouch with plenty of mositure and seems to
revel in my thin, acid soil overlying mudstone.

The leaves are smooth surfaced, softly leathery, dull green with paler
veins and slightly glaucous undersides. During June it produces
congested, rounded heads (capitula) of greenish-yellow flowers that
are surrounded with 4 large showy bracts, which last for several
weeks. Initially, the bracts are pale, almost buttery cream
(enthusiastically described as yellow by some) ageing to soft white,
before taking on very strong pink hues prior to falling. This is mine
at the moment:http:
//tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=AJ3C9iBDKTntcKGjlKxc5w%3D%3D

Later the flower heads will develop into the rounded, strawberry-like
fruits shown in the op's pic. Unfortunately the fruits are decidedly
unpalatable, leaving an astringent and foetid after-taste and can
cause slight nausea. I've tried them and don't recommend you to do
the same! Young plants cannot cope with frequent, prolonged frosts
and need protection away from sheltered sites in southern counties.
Despite the rather soft texture of the leaves, this Cornus does appear
to cope with winter storms quite well and mine is regularly lashed by
bitter winds coming up the valley off the sea every year.

Definitely not Cornus nuttallii. Picture of C nuttallii leaves and fruit:
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/p...ornut/all.html
I now recall someone above mention the possibility of some kind of magnolia. I think that is more of a possiblity than any cornus.

On Jul 6, 3:27 pm, echinosum
wrote:

I now recall someone above mention the possibility of some kind of
magnolia. I think that is more of a possiblity than any cornus.
echinosum

No, sorry it is definitely Cornus capitata. Goggle it if you must and
Harvard herbarium has pics of the shoots with immature fruits :
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.a...295&flora_id=2
If you insist on pursuing the Magnolia route, you'll be looking for a
very, very long time.

Thanks, I stand corrected. When I was checking out the cornaceae I found a picture of C. capitata leaves, and they looked like typical cornus leaves, they must have been young ones.