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⬆️ "God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done." - Phyllis McGinley

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Fun Fact: Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia

🤘 Fun Fact: Bulls-Horn Acacia

🐜 Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia, named for its bull-horn-shaped thorns, has a unique partnership with ants! The plant provides shelter in its hollow thorns, and in return, the ants fiercely protect it from herbivores. Nature’s ultimate bodyguards!

#Fun_Facts #Trees #Nature_Wonders

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Top ten fast-fruiting trees

Cat fruit in a box

Q: I would like to plant several fruit trees... I am 85 years old and hope to see them fruiting soon. What fruit trees can you recommend that will fruit quickly?

A: Most grafted fruit trees, such as Mango, Avocado, and Peaches, will fruit quickly - often within the same year or the next. There are also many wonderful tropical fruits that will produce for you within a year or two, even without the need for grafting. Below are the top 10 of most popular, most rewarding and easy to grow fast fruiting tropical trees:

1. Annona - Sugar Apple, Custard Apple.

Annona - Sugar Apple, Custard Apple

Annonas are the fastest fruiting trees: 2-3-4 years from seed to fruit, depending on species. They are the best tropical fruit trees suited for container growing, due to their small height and can be maintained within 6-8 ft tall.

2. Guava (Psidium sp.): Cattley and Tropical guava

Guava fruit - Psidium

Guava is a reliable producer, starts fruiting in a pot at small size. Some varieties, especially Cattley guavas - Psidium littorale - are relatively cold hardy and can take some frost without damage. Guavas are fast growing small trees or large bushes.

3. Eugenia - Tropical Cherries

Eugenias - Tropical Cherries

Eugenias are favorites of Southern gardens. They are relatively cold hardy and start producing right away. Black Surinam Cherry Lolita and Grumichama are our favorites!

4. Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)

Barbados Cherry - Malpighia glabra

Another exceptional tropical cherry is Barbados Cherry. It is super popular as a heavy producer. The plant can start fruiting when it's only a few inches tall! If you are looking for a compact, but fast growing tree with colorful fruit that starts fruiting right away - plant Barbados Cherry. It will also happily fruit in containers.

5. Eriobotrya (Eriobotrya japonica)

Loquat - Eriobotrya japonica

Loquat tree is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, compact tropical fruit tree. It is a heavy producer. Fruits are juicy, aromatic, and resemble apricots. Ripen from early Spring to early Summer. Ideal for small gardens, beginner fruit tree growers.

6. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya

Papaya is probably the fastest fruiting tree that can start production the same year from planting a seed. Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest. Plant 2-3 Papaya trees of different cultivars that fruit at different times of the year and enjoy heavy crops of healthy fruit year around! Another benefit - this tree doesn't take much space in the garden, you can plant as many as you want.

7. Mulberry (Morus hybrids)

Mulberry

Mulberry is very cold hardy and can grow in wide range of climate zones, from USDA 5 to 10. Everyone knows this sweet, tasty, juicy fruit. The tree will produce right away, you will see fruit the next season after planting, and the tree grows fast.

8. Carambola - Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Carambola - Starfruit, Averrhoa carambola

Growing Carambola tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique star-shaped delicious fruit right at home. It fruits on the 3d year from seed. The tree is easy to grow and reliable producer, providing wind protection.

9. Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa)

Blackberry Jam Fruit - Randia formosa

Blackberry Jam Fruit, Jasmin de Rosa is a curious small evergreen tree or bush that combines features of a fragrant flower and delicious dessert fruit which tastes like fresh Blackberry jam. Fragrant white flowers are similar to Gardenia.

10. Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea)

Peanut Butter Tree - Bunchosia argentea

Peanut Butter Tree, earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor. Compact in size, small tree reaching only 10-15 ft or kept as a bush, it's a perfect choice for limited spaces. Can thrive indoors, starting to fruit within just 2-3 years from seed.

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Gardening for the Soul:
why your garden is healing...

cat in the garden

"The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul." - Alfred Austin

...Healing gardens are good for your soul and morale. They can improve your mood and help with depression, and they have even been proven to increase our physical wellbeing.

...Gardening offers therapeutic benefits by providing a calming connection to nature, which reduces stress and anxiety.

...The physical activity involved improves overall health, promoting better cardiovascular function and increased strength.

...And last but not least, the act of nurturing plants fosters a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which can alleviate symptoms of depression. Spending time outdoors and in sunlight also boosts mood by increasing serotonin levels.

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🔥 "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." - Vincent van Gogh

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What fruit is more sour and has more vitamin C than a lemon

Costa Rican Guava, Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum)

🍋 What fruit is more sour and has more vitamin C than a lemon
  • 🍸Costa Rican Guava, Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum) is native to Central America and known for its intensely sour taste, which makes it perfect for flavorful juices and beverages rather than eating fresh.
  • 🍸Cas Guava fruit is used in traditional Costa Rican drink "Agua de Cas," a refreshing blend of cas juice, water, and sugar.
  • 🍸Cas Guava fruit is packed with vitamin C: about four times more vitamin C than a lemon, making it an excellent immune booster. It's also rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.
  • 🍸Cas guava tree is pretty hardy, thriving in poor soils and resisting pests and diseases.


📚 Learn more:
Costa Rican refreshing drink Fresco de Cas
Costa Rican Guava

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What is the best flowering bush that everyone loves?

Calliandra schultzii - Dwarf Powderpuff

💑 What is the best flowering bush that everyone loves?

Calliandras
, commonly known as powderpuffs, are vibrant and delightful additions to any garden. Their distinctive, fluffy flower heads and ease of care make them a favorite among gardeners. Calliandras are an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their garden with minimal effort while enjoying the beauty and benefits they bring.
  • 💖 Striking Blooms: Calliandra's unique, powderpuff-like flowers come in shades of red, pink, and white, adding a splash of color.
  • 💖 Attracts Wildlife: These flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
  • 💖 Low Maintenance: Calliandras are tough plants that require minimal care. Once established, they are quite drought-tolerant, ideal for water-wise gardening.
  • 💖 Year-Round blooms: Many varieties bloom multiple times a year.
  • 💖 Planting Options: Suitable for hedges, borders, or container planting, offering flexibility in garden design.
  • 💖 Pest Resistant: Generally resistant to common pests and diseases.


🎥 Calliandra schultzii - Dwarf Powderpuff
📚 More Calliandras from previous posts:

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How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry

How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry
🍒 How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry

Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora), often used as a hedge in Southern landscapes, also has a tasty fruit with a unique flavore. The black-fruit variety Lolita is especially valuable - the fruit is large, dark red to almost black, very juicy and sweet. It fruits profusely and there will be enough fruit for preserves too!

🎀 Surinam Cherry Jam

  • ✔️ 4 cups seeded Surinam Cherries
  • ✔️ 2 cups sugar
  • ✔️ 1 cup water


🍷Combine the sugar and water, bring to boil and add cherries. Cook slowly for 20 to 25 min until the mixture thickens slightly. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

🛒 Plant your own Surinam Cherry

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When Bat Head Devil Flower is in bloom

Tacca chantrieri - Black Tacca

🌚 When Bat Head Devil Flower is in bloom
  • 🦇 Tacca Lily - has been in bloom all summer, on an off.
  • 🦇 Curious, bat-like inflorescence both in shape and color, with wide spreading, wing-like bracts of rich maroon-black, accompanied by long trailing filaments or "whiskers".
  • 🦇 Perfect container plant for a greenhouse. Needs filtered light, prefers high humidity.
  • 🦇 Comes in different species and colors: Black, White, Green:

Tacca nivea - White Tacca
Tacca chantrieri - Black Tacca
Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Tacca

📚 Learn more from previous post:
Bat Head - Devil Flower

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