Tu BiShvat - New Year for Trees

By Alex Butova

Tu BiShvat is the Israeli Arbor Day, and it is often referred to by that name in international media. Ecological organizations have adopted the holiday to further environmental-awareness programs. The modern practices and interpretations of Tu BiShvat often revolve around the earth and environment. This holiday is a celebration of nature and appreciation for creating the natural world. In Israel, Tu BiShvat is celebrated as an agricultural holiday. The 15th of Tu BiShvat was celebrated this year on February 10, 2020. This day marked the beginning of a new year for trees. This day marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. Often the date of Tu BiShvat is used for determining the age of fruit baring trees and therefore establishes their birth dates. Therefore, Tu BiShvat is the "birthday" of trees!

The traditions and customs of Tu BiShvat vary, however, the most common include planting trees and gathering with family and friends for a meal. It is celebrated by eating fruit, particularly the kinds that praise the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, almonds, dates, olives and others. It reminds people that "a man is a tree of the field", and reflects on the lessons we can derive from the botanical analogue.

Check out fruit trees and nuts:

Persimmon tree

Loquat tree

Plants that are not for eating

Q: On the website, it says that the pua keni keni tree is toxic. Do you know how toxic? Is it mild irritation or can someone die from ingesting any part of the plant?

A: Pua Keni Keni, Fagraea - seeds (and especially flesh of the fruit) are toxic, so we recommend to always wash your hands after handling them. Obviously, nobody in our team ever tried to eat them to check how toxic they are and if they are deadly.

In general, one must be careful when using plants for purposes other than ornamental growing, especially for consumption. While some obvious edibles (cultivated fruit, vegetables, herbs) are generally safe, but some individuals may have severe reactions - for example, many people are allergic to mangoes; other people may be sensitive to only mango leaves.

A number of plants that have parts commonly consumed for food, have other parts toxic or poisonous. Example: Potato - Solanum tuberosum - has edible tubers feeding the whole planet population, but this plant's fruit is highly toxic and even deadly if eaten. Fruit from a Potato plant look like tiny little green tomatoes since Potato belongs to the same family as Tomato - Nightshade, but it is super poisonous, while Tomato fruit is perfectly edible. So one must watch out and especially educate little children about not tasting anything directly from the garden.

As far as animals concern, in Nature they know what is poisonous and what is edible. Have you ever seen dead birds around a tree with poisonous fruit/seeds? Animals have their own sense for it. So if your concern is for pets, it is normally safe to have pets around plants with irritating or even poisonous parts. However, if your dog has a bad habit of chewing on stuff, you may use extra caution there.

Photo below:

Riki-Tiki-Tavi exploring TopTropicals Gardens.

Repotting Artocarpus with a taproot in ground

Q: The Chempedak I bought from you almost 3 years ago which I had repotted twice has a thick taproot growing in the ground, which I noticed this past winter. I was going to repot into the largest size pot almost half of a 55-g rain barrel. Can I try to dig/save as much of the taproot before repotting, will it die if I had to shorten/cut what I can't dig out completely? I hate to put it in the ground for fear it may not make it when we have severe cold/long hours of frost. I live in west Cocoa, Central Florida, 9b.

A: Yes, you can repot the tree and keep it in reasonable size container after trimming the roots. Most of the tropical trees (fruit trees not an exception) can be grown in containers even if in Nature they grow into vigorous large trees. The key is, trim the roots every time you transplant it. The process is similar to trimming branches and both don't hurt the plant as long as done right and moderately. You should trim the overgrown and spreading limbs at the same time. You may trim as much as 10% off root system at the time of repotting. This will cause the root system to branch out and become fuller, similar to branches, which is a good thing. If a tree grows a taproot like in your case, it is not necessary to try "saving" and digging out the whole root that may go down for a few feet. You may cut it off without major damage to the tree since the rest of its root system will continue to support the plant metabolism. Just keep in mind that the plant will be stressed for a while - so put it in bright shade and water regularly until signs of stress go away (wilted or dropping leaves may occur). This particular type of tree - Artocarpus - is pretty strong and vigorous so the stress should be minimal.

How to get Strophanthus tree to bloom?

Q: I purchased from you three of these plants - Strophanthus bovinii and I wonder if you could help me. The plants are out of control growing large limbs to the sides and I would like it to grow more upright. Is this possible? Second, it does not flower. What type of fertilizer should I use and how often? How about the watering schedule? I have them in an eastern exposure but possibly they are not getting enough sun? Right in front of them, there is a large tree outside the curb of my house. What should I do about that?

A: Strophanthus bovinii - Wood shaving flower, is quite a unique plant that is very rare in cultivation, this is why very little information is available on its cultivation due to limited experience among gardeners. We have had this plant in our garden for over 12 years and this is what we can advise.
In the nature (Madagascar) it supposedly grows into a large tree, however, from our experience, it tends to be rather bushy, umbrella-like large shrub. Yes, you can train it into a tree by trimming branches growing side-wise, and by removing lower branches. The best time for pruning is early spring when the tree starts new growth and re-leafs (it is semi-deciduous). As far as flowering, the plant is very particular about blooming season, with profuse flowering in Summer (here in SW Florida), however it may produce more flowers sporadically throughout the year.
It thrives in full sun but will tolerate bright filtered light. If a large tree is shading it too much, try to trim some limbs of that large tree to allow more light. Water needs of Strophanthus bovinii are very moderate, so you can rely on your sprinkler system or water once a week for established plants.
You should use 2 types of fertilizers - slow release (once a month) and water-soluble bloom booster (frequent applications are safe):
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Growing sapodilla in container and indoors

Q: I live in northwestern Washington state. I was wondering if I can grow a Sapodilla tree indoors in a container? Are they self-fertile, and which variety do you think would do best in a large container?

A: A: All Sapodillas are self-fertile. They can be successfully grown in pots due to their slow growth rate and compact nature. The most important requirement for successful growing and fruiting is a bright light, other than that it is a very undemanding plant and is not fussy about watering. The best variety for potting culture is Silas Woods which is a dwarf kind. This variety is the most profuse producer, flowering and fruiting nearly year round providing bright light and warmth. Although the fruit are smaller than other varieties and average 3-4" size.
Sapodillas require regular fertilizer applications for good production. We recommend Fruit Festival slow release fertilizer for the best results.