Hoping someone seen this large shrub!
- Thread starter RonsGarden
- Start date
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OurGardenGate.com
New Member
What do they taste like?
Just kidding....
I've never seen anything like that, it'll be interesting to find out what it is.
Just kidding....
I've never seen anything like that, it'll be interesting to find out what it is.
Actually I did taste one, but don't want to give away any more pertainent info!
It is a large shrub/small tree and is used for foundation plantings!
It is deciduous.
It is a large shrub/small tree and is used for foundation plantings!
It is deciduous.
handygardener
New Member
Ron its not a Logan berry is it? It looks like it. If you could take a picture of the whole plant it would be great...
No, not a loganberry.
I will be heading back to town on Fri so I'll bring my camera.
Next hint:
I disected one of the fruit and found 4 seeds which were rather large for the size of the fruit!
I will be heading back to town on Fri so I'll bring my camera.
Next hint:
I disected one of the fruit and found 4 seeds which were rather large for the size of the fruit!
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Ok!
I give in!
It's a 'Mandarin Melon Berry'~ Cudrania tricuspidata! It is a relative of the Mulberry!
If you are into edible landscaping then this the shrub for you!
I give in!
It's a 'Mandarin Melon Berry'~ Cudrania tricuspidata! It is a relative of the Mulberry!
If you are into edible landscaping then this the shrub for you!
I'll be sowing the seeds (there are no more then 4 seeds per fruit) which I find interesting for the size of the fruit!
The fruit have a flavour and fragrance, which reminds me of melon, nectarine and canned mandarin oranges!
Sorry they are only winter hardy to zones 5/6!
The fruit have a flavour and fragrance, which reminds me of melon, nectarine and canned mandarin oranges!
Sorry they are only winter hardy to zones 5/6!
OurGardenGate.com
New Member
What size is the bush and does it bear a lot of berries or just sparsely?
That looks like an interesting plant to have.
That looks like an interesting plant to have.
It was 8-9ft tall!
The fruit were hanging single on the end of the branches!
Kind of looked like small christmas ornaments evenly spaced.
The foliage is dark green and from a distance it is very ornamental and can see why they planted them.
The fruit were hanging single on the end of the branches!
Kind of looked like small christmas ornaments evenly spaced.
The foliage is dark green and from a distance it is very ornamental and can see why they planted them.
Trax
Active Member
Hey Ron, you def got me interested in this one! 
So I did some research and this is what I found out, for anyone else that's interested:
MANDARIN MELON BERRY TREES
This tree can grow as tall as 30 feet or it can be pruned to make a bush. It's disease and pest free and will grow in zones 6-10.
Male and female trees can be planted together in the same hole and that increases fruit production BUT the presence of the male tree causes a lot of early fruit dropping so you lose a lot of fruit that didn't get ripe. Not getting enough water can cause that too but it doesn't like staying too wet.
PLANTING
The soil needs to be sandy and well-draining with a slightly acid pH of 6-6.5 - but it is tolerant if the pH isn't exactly right. If it's more than one tree then space them at least 6 feet apart. Find a spot that gets full-sun. Dig a hole that's 3 times the width of the pot or root ball and is as deep as the root ball. Mix the dirt from the dig 50/50 with aged manure or rotted pine bark with aged manure/compost. Put the tree in the hole so that the top-most roots are level with the ground. Put the soil in the hole but DO NOT PUT FERTILIZER IN THE HOLE. Pat the soil around the roots and in the hole gently cause the roots are sensitive. Thoroughly water the tree so that the entire root ball gets water.
FERTILIZING
Use a 5-2-6 fertilizer. Remember, the most important things are iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, copper, and boron. All plants need those and most garden soils lack them.
ZONES 6-7 - Fertilize twice. Once in March then once in June/July. Never after July.
ZONES 8-10 - Fertilize 3 times. Once in February, once in May, then once in July/August. Never after August.
Spread the fertilizer evenly, 5 inches away from the trunk and under the whole canopy of the tree. Water or rake the ground to mix it in.
WATERING
LIGHT SOIL - Water thoroughly (40-50 minutes) twice a week. The whole root ball should get wet.
CLAY SOIL - Water thoroughly (40-50 minutes) once a week.
The trees need at least 1 inch of water each week. If the tree doesn't get it, the fruits will drop before they're ripe.
PRUNING
I have no idea how to prune a tree to make it a bush so somebody else needs to help with that part.
Normal Pruning: For best fruit production, prune heavilly in the winter. Remove 1/2 the branches from the previous summer and 1/2 of the older branches.
If a male and female are growing in the same hole, you might have to do additional pruning of the male tree in the summer. The male tree needs to be only 25% of the whole canopy of the 2 trees.
HARVESTING THE FRUITS
The fruits are ripe when the stem doesn't bleed white sap after picking.
CUTTINGS & GRAFTING
I don't know anything about either one but this is what I read.
For grafting, the best rootstock to use is Osage orange. Trees done that way will fruit early without root suckering.
Cutting-grown trees will spread into a hedge. You can get more fruit with those and the root suckers will be thornless. - What's a root sucker??
Anyway, I hope this info helps. It'll def help me cause I'm gonna grow one.
So I did some research and this is what I found out, for anyone else that's interested:MANDARIN MELON BERRY TREES
This tree can grow as tall as 30 feet or it can be pruned to make a bush. It's disease and pest free and will grow in zones 6-10.
Male and female trees can be planted together in the same hole and that increases fruit production BUT the presence of the male tree causes a lot of early fruit dropping so you lose a lot of fruit that didn't get ripe. Not getting enough water can cause that too but it doesn't like staying too wet.
PLANTING
The soil needs to be sandy and well-draining with a slightly acid pH of 6-6.5 - but it is tolerant if the pH isn't exactly right. If it's more than one tree then space them at least 6 feet apart. Find a spot that gets full-sun. Dig a hole that's 3 times the width of the pot or root ball and is as deep as the root ball. Mix the dirt from the dig 50/50 with aged manure or rotted pine bark with aged manure/compost. Put the tree in the hole so that the top-most roots are level with the ground. Put the soil in the hole but DO NOT PUT FERTILIZER IN THE HOLE. Pat the soil around the roots and in the hole gently cause the roots are sensitive. Thoroughly water the tree so that the entire root ball gets water.
FERTILIZING
Use a 5-2-6 fertilizer. Remember, the most important things are iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, copper, and boron. All plants need those and most garden soils lack them.
ZONES 6-7 - Fertilize twice. Once in March then once in June/July. Never after July.
ZONES 8-10 - Fertilize 3 times. Once in February, once in May, then once in July/August. Never after August.
Spread the fertilizer evenly, 5 inches away from the trunk and under the whole canopy of the tree. Water or rake the ground to mix it in.
WATERING
LIGHT SOIL - Water thoroughly (40-50 minutes) twice a week. The whole root ball should get wet.
CLAY SOIL - Water thoroughly (40-50 minutes) once a week.
The trees need at least 1 inch of water each week. If the tree doesn't get it, the fruits will drop before they're ripe.
PRUNING
I have no idea how to prune a tree to make it a bush so somebody else needs to help with that part.
Normal Pruning: For best fruit production, prune heavilly in the winter. Remove 1/2 the branches from the previous summer and 1/2 of the older branches.
If a male and female are growing in the same hole, you might have to do additional pruning of the male tree in the summer. The male tree needs to be only 25% of the whole canopy of the 2 trees.
HARVESTING THE FRUITS
The fruits are ripe when the stem doesn't bleed white sap after picking.
CUTTINGS & GRAFTING
I don't know anything about either one but this is what I read.
For grafting, the best rootstock to use is Osage orange. Trees done that way will fruit early without root suckering.
Cutting-grown trees will spread into a hedge. You can get more fruit with those and the root suckers will be thornless. - What's a root sucker??
Anyway, I hope this info helps.
It'll def help me cause I'm gonna grow one.
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You shouldn't have any serious problems growing them Josh!
Fruit form on current years growth, so yearly pruning is not much of a problem if you want good fruit development!
I'll be winter sowing the seeds I have in December for germination in yearly spring!
On another note: if you are interested in growing cacti from seed, I ordered some from http://www.cactusstore.com/category_100/CACTI-SEED-INDEX.htm(placing ( ordering is easy) that I will be starting soon under growlights!
I will be placing an other order from this site: http://www.mesagarden.com/
(ordering from them is more involved since you will need to go through their whole inventory to select ones that are hardy in your zone)! Their seed inventory is huge!
You can order plants from both of them!
Fruit form on current years growth, so yearly pruning is not much of a problem if you want good fruit development!
I'll be winter sowing the seeds I have in December for germination in yearly spring!
On another note: if you are interested in growing cacti from seed, I ordered some from http://www.cactusstore.com/category_100/CACTI-SEED-INDEX.htm(placing ( ordering is easy) that I will be starting soon under growlights!
I will be placing an other order from this site: http://www.mesagarden.com/
(ordering from them is more involved since you will need to go through their whole inventory to select ones that are hardy in your zone)! Their seed inventory is huge!
You can order plants from both of them!
You're welcome Josh!
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