San Leandro, CA (Zone 9b) | December 2019 | neutral
Per Irene Ngoo at Min's Garden @tropicaljungle in Singapore about her photos above:
"These bright orange-yellow fruits of Solanum ...Read Moremammosum are specially for the coming Chinese New Year, which is the Year of the Pig. Commonly known as nipplefruit, cow's udder, or apple of Sodom, they also look like flying pigs, don’t they? The fruits are poisonous if ingested. The plant is grown for ornamental purposes and are on display now in many local nurseries which are well stocked with wide varieties of colourful plants and flowers. To the Chinese, it is a tradition to welcome Chinese New Year with auspicious plants and blooms as they are believed to bring good luck and blessings. Symbolising prosperity, abundance and good fortune, they are a must-have for those celebrating this spring festive season."
I have a shrub of this about 8 feet tall. I recently trimmed some branches which had the ornamental fruits on it. I trimmed the branches ...Read Morejust above a side shoot so the side shoot could continue to grow. About 8 of ten have since died and the stalks are drying up. Is it possible this plant can't close it's trimming wound and its drying out through there? I anyone any suggestions like taring the end or something please let me know.
Brooksville, FL (Zone 9a) | October 2007 | neutral
This is the first year I grew these. My plants had few thorns - in fact, I'd be hard pressed to recall ANY thorns - lots of blooms but o...Read Morenly one fruit out of about 10 plants. I planted them out in full sun in early summer and they grew and bloomed GREAT - over 6' tall now, but out of all those plants and blooms I only had one fruit hold. I never really saw anything pollinating the flowers. I don't know what the natural pollinator for this plant is, but apparently I don't have it here. I've grown other Solanum plants with great success, so I'm not sure why these didn't produce more fruits.
Update: I double checked and my plants HAVE NO THORNS on them anywhere - don't know why they would be different than what others have, but apparently they are.
The picture I posted was from a plant I gave a fellow gardener who lives near me. He planted his plant outside about a month before I di...Read Mored and his plant gave flowers & fruits. My plants flowered profusely but no fruits were seen. I have dug up all 6 plants and they are in my greenhouse. If I can "baby" them through the winter, I will plant them outside in May after last frost. If they do not survive (my greenhouse is kept at 60 degrees at night and up to 85 in the daytime), I will start them from seeds once more & plant outside and fertilize with 20-20-20.
Per Irene Ngoo at Min's Garden @tropicaljungle in Singapore about her photos above:
"These bright orange-yellow fruits of Solanum ...Read More
I have a shrub of this about 8 feet tall. I recently trimmed some branches which had the ornamental fruits on it. I trimmed the branches ...Read More
This is the first year I grew these. My plants had few thorns - in fact, I'd be hard pressed to recall ANY thorns - lots of blooms but o...Read More
Indeed a weird one, and not one to touch due to it's
spines / thorns.
I bought a small 4" plant and nearly forgot ...Read More
The picture I posted was from a plant I gave a fellow gardener who lives near me. He planted his plant outside about a month before I di...Read More