The Litchi Tomato

The Litchi Tomato also known as Morelle de Balbis, or Fire and Ice plant is a edible Solanum.  What makes it special is that you can grow a small fruit, that mocks the taste of a fresh cherry in your own backyard.  This easy to grow plant is similar to growing a tomato plant.  The only difference is the unique prickles that cover the plant.  But don't be alarmed by the prickles they don't prick at all.  A matter of fact I get more pricks from  an okra plant or an eggplant than from a Litchi Tomato.  

The Litchi can grow rather quickly and has beautiful decorative leaves with a zig zag shape.  What also makes them so interesting is the paper-like delicate flowers that they display.  After , the flower is pollinated it formulates the fruit within a thorny husk.  Finally, when the fruit ripens it turns a bright red and is exposed from the thorny husk.

The fruit has an excellent flavor which is reminiscent of a tart cherry.  The fruit are quite prolific and almost cover the whole plant.  I've been growing litchi for at least 5 years and I am always impressed by the full beautiful display of fruit received in the fall.  

* If you are interested in purchasing Litchi Tomato Seeds please check out my etsy page at https://www.etsy.com/listing/106524825/fire-and-ice-plant?

Garden Enthusiaist

I discovered the Bule Gourd by reading a seed catalog.  So I ordered them as soon as I could and patiently waited for their arrival.  Once I received the plant I was overjoyed and I planted the seeds by a gate since the instructions suggested that they are going to grow into a 15 foot vine and should be grown on a trellis or gate.  When I planted the seeds I was living in Wichita Falls, Texas ,and as they say everything is bigger in Texas.  My seeds took off the first week by the end of the month they had already reached about five feet.  On occasion I would look outside of my window and watch the plant grow before my eyes, It was faster than Jack and his beanstalk.  To my surprise in the second month the Bule was full of beautiful white flowers.

Upon seeing the flowers my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to absorb their fragrance The smell reminded me of cornflakes.  Yes, you heard it right it smelled like cornflakes!! That had to be the weirdest thing ever but that wasn't the weirdest part.  The flowers were not all identical, some had a fruit at the bottom and others did not.   I discovered that that was a  distinction of which flowers were male and female.  Naturally the female flowers carried the fruit and the males pollinated.  Oh, how beautiful the joys of nature can be.  I had not received my first fruit, however I was on a long trail of discovery and knowledge.

Finally, In the third month I had a vine covered with lime green warty apples.  I think it was about 10 apples per vine.  Yes, as expected those warty apples looked fresh out of a snow white story.  It was such a feeling of accomplishment to bring a picture of a peculiar fruit into my own backyard.  My family marveled at the amazing fruit which originated in France and made its' way to my backyard in Texas.

But, that was not the best part!!! Bule Gourds like most Gourds can be dried and preserved to create crafts.  So when my vibrant lime green gourd had passed its' moment of beauty it dried out and showed off it glory in as a tan brown leathery looking wooden warty apple.

Being a garden enthusiast is an awesome way to live you find so many remarkable wonders. When I discovered this fruit that shows off beauty years after being picked off the vine, I realized that gardening is a never ending adventure.   If you are interested in purchasing the Bule Gourd  please check out my etsy page at https://www.etsy.com/listing/28805662/bule-apple-gourd-seeds?ref=listing-shop-header-2

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