Wild Fruiting Things

[heavyhitterokra]

Does anyone know what this fruiting tree is?

It has very attractive fruit, about one and a half inches long, by about an inch in diameter.  They are very shiny firm, and smooth.
 
In the center of the fruit is a hard, woody core, literally wood; very hard to cut. There are no visible seeds, unless the woody core is the seed.

The leaves are about three inches long by an inch and a quarter wide, pointy, with slight saw-tooth ridges, having three distinct veins, with a shiny, smooth, leathery feel.

The tree is small in stature, like a dwarf apple tree, having small, very sharp thorns among the branches.

The taste is woody, but slightly sweet, with a very dry texture, like it might bake well possibly lending itself to a stew of some sort?

It was found today, August 19th, 2020, growing in a park in Tahlequah.  Knowing there are still many antique varieties of edible plants still to be found around in these parts, makes me wonder if it was a plant introduced to this area via an old homestead, now lost? 

 
The very shiny, leathery, leafs hang beautifully like ostrich plumes, arching alongside the fruit, giving it a very attractive appearance.

The leaves exhibit three well defined, stringy veins, they are very shiny, having a leathery feel to them.

The split open fruit exhibits a woody core with no visible seed, unless he hard core is the seed?

The edges of the leaves are slightly serrated but not aggressively so. 

The fruit is very shiny, supple, smooth, and inviting. 

[macmex]

I bet it's a spin off (cross) between a Bradford pear and some other kind of pear. It'd be woody in the middle because it's not yet fully ripe. Just my guess.

[heavyhitterokra]

Though I didn't eat any of this fruit, I'll bet its got potential as a pot filler in stews, soups, or some kind of apple butter type application?  When testing new varieties found in the wild, I think it's better to play it safe, than to be sorry later.

Hopefully, some day, someone will see these photos and recognize this plant as an heirloom of some sort?

[raf]

Appears to be a jujube, the weird leaf veins are a tell-tale.
When ripe they'll turn a caramel color.
I think they're delicious when just getting soft, like an apple dipped in honey.

[raf]

Sorry to prattle on but something I thought worth mentioning. Some believe that the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus was a specific type of jujube, it's named Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-cristi)

[heavyhitterokra]

Thanks, for the good lead, raf. I'll try to remember to visit this tree again this Autumn. It's about 15 miles South of here, so I don't go there often. It definitely had thorns.

[macmex]

Great info!

[heavyhitterokra]

Thanks, to Raf, I was able to find this video about the Jujube Tree, on Oklahoma Gardening.

Thanks, Raf.



I also found this very interesting video on YouTube.

[heavyhitterokra]

raf was right.

Jujube fruits are awesome!

I finally remembered to visit the place in Tahlequah, where I first spotted the Jujube trees this summer. They didn't ripen until late October, but they were definitely worth the wait. I saved some seeds and hope to get some started next spring. I'd love to have a couple of these fruiting trees to add to my permaculture collection. They were wonderfully crisp and way sweeter than an apple. Being so small just made these tiny fruits more of a treasure.

[theozarkan]

Never heard of those before. I looked around for some trees to plant but yikes they don't give those away! I found some cuttings on ebay but my skills for growing things from cuttings needs some work. I tried to get some going from one of my pear trees but never got any roots going.

[raf]

The method I use is
1. Only take cuttings from this year's growth
2. Take cuttings at bud break, remove all but the top 1 or 2 leaves
3. Soak in willow water overnight, I've also crushed asprin in water
4. Dip in rooting hormone
5. Plant in a small pot,
6. put the pot & all into a plastic grocery sack,
7. tie the sack closed but don't allow it to touch the cutting.
6. Water well & place in the shade

Only peek in every week or so to make sure it's still moist, after 6-8 weeks give it a little tug to see if there's resistance (roots growing)

All that being said some plants just don't easily propagate that way (muscadine is a good example of that) figs are super easy as are elderberry.

[Deleted]

Jan 30, 2021 19:07:05 GMT -6 raf said:

The method I use is
1. Only take cuttings from this year's growth
2. Take cuttings at bud break, remove all but the top 1 or 2 leaves
3. Soak in willow water overnight, I've also crushed asprin in water
4. Dip in rooting hormone
5. Plant in a small pot,
6. put the pot & all into a plastic grocery sack,
7. tie the sack closed but don't allow it to touch the cutting.
6. Water well & place in the shade

Only peek in every week or so to make sure it's still moist, after 6-8 weeks give it a little tug to see if there's resistance (roots growing)

All that being said some plants just don't easily propagate that way (muscadine is a good example of that) figs are super easy as are elderberry.

I've had good luck doing it near exactly this way.  

I have also used poplar "tea" in place of willow.  I don't use additional rooting hormone.  Then again, I have never taken cuttings from something weak or difficult to grow.  

Emphasis on cuttings of new growth.  

[heavyhitterokra]

I think I might be part squirrel? My brains must be, anyway ... I know I planted all my Jujube seeds, but for the life of me, I don't remember where?

At least, with elderberry cuttings, I have a twig poked into the mud to remind me where to look for the dead plant later.

Actually, I had pretty good success with elderberry cuttings last February.  I only lost about 8 out of 60. Some reached a height of 6' feet of water sprout type growth, some only grew a foot or so, but most are still accounted for.  I think I'll lose more due to my geese 'cribbing' the bark off them this winter though.  I don't know if they'll come back from the root?  

I'll probably poke a few more cuttings into the soil in the next few weeks, between rainstorms.  The little bumps along the parent 'donor' stalks are starting to show swelling in anticipation for Spring.

[macmex]

I still need to plant the jujube seeds you gave me. Let me know if you need a few back.

[heavyhitterokra]

I don't need any back. I'll surely find them someday if they ever come up.