Start Fruit - Carambola Tree (Averrhoa carambola). Growing this tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique and delicious fruit right at home!
Q: I've heard about a tropical gooseberry
suitable for making jams but don't know its exact name. Do you have it? Gooseberry
jam is my husband's favorite, but I can't find gooseberries here in Florida -
too hot, maybe?
A: Yes, we do have the plant you're looking for!
We've just made some delicious jam from this tropical gooseberry, and it
tastes just like the northern varieties but even more flavorful! Florida's winter
is the perfect season for this wonderful fruit. Right now, our plant is
growing quickly and vigorously over our fence, and it's covered with fruit. Just
a couple of months earlier it was full of fragrant, beautiful white flowers!
The plant in question is Perescia aculeata, commonly known as Barbados Gooseberry. It's a unique
cactus with both edible leaves and fruit, making it a tropical treasure that
offers beauty as well as culinary delights.
The fruit is yellow with a juicy, subacid pulp that tastes remarkably
similar to traditional gooseberries. You can enjoy the fruits fresh, stewed, or
transformed into jams and jellies.
The young leaves are also edible, adding a nutritious boost to your
meals.
This fast-growing vining cactus prefers well-drained soil that remains
moist during the summer and drier in winter, and it can be effectively grown
in containers on a trellis.
Tropical