Blog

Fruit of the Gods

Kaki also called Hurmi kaki, persimmon or churma comes from East Asia, but the exact origin is unknown. It was already known to the ancient Greeks, who named it Diospyros, which means fruit of the gods. Although it resembles a tomato, it has nothing to do with it. Kaki persimmons are the fruits of the tomato ebony tree (Diospyros kaki), which, in addition to the sweet-tasting fruits reminiscent of apples, melons and apricots, stands out for its very hard and heavy wood - black ebony.

How to know which persimmons to grow?

The varietal composition of the persimmon is very wide and almost 900 varieties have been described to date. Varieties of Japanese persimmon, virgin persimmon, or hybrids of Caucasian persimmon and virgin persimmon are grown. How do they differ from each other? The Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is the most delicate, so it is mostly only grown as a container plant. On the other hand, Japanese persimmon produces the largest and tastiest fruits.

The virgin persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is also suitable for planting in the garden, as it tolerates frost even at minus 25° C. However, the fruits are very small, no more than five centimeters in diameter, and of significantly lower quality compared to the Japanese persimmon. In the garden, the virgin persimmon is used more as a solitary woody plant than as a utility plant.

Caucasian persimmon or common persimmon (Diospyros lotus) is mostly used as a rootstock for grafting Japanese persimmon, as its property is high resistance to frost.

In stores, we usually come across seedlings of Japanese persimmon cultivars, which are able to overwinter even in our conditions and at the same time guarantee high-quality fruits.

Hurmi kaki is hardy, but also delicate

Surprisingly, the exotic tree thrives even in our conditions, for example, where kiwis are successfully grown, and with good care, it pays off with a rich harvest. We choose the most sunny location with the greatest possible heat accumulation, for example near the wall of the house. The more sheltered from the wind we choose, the better. We can improve the soil by adding a standard gardening substrate. Regular watering is needed during drier periods and the first two to three years after planting. Most varieties are self-pollinating, so one plant is enough to produce fruit. Normal fertilizing with trace element content (Cererit, Kristalon) is sufficient for nutrition. Pests do not attack the plant in our conditions, because its native pests do not live here. After planting on the site, it is advisable to protect the plant slightly during the winter for at least the first year - e.g. It is also necessary to protect the trunk against the winter sun, especially from the south side. Lime coating is not enough, so we protect the trunk with a double layer of white non-woven fabric stretched between two bamboo sticks or a board resting on the trunk.

When will we harvest?

Flowering occurs in the second half of May and lasts 2 to 3 weeks.  In case of frost damage, the tree reliably regenerates, but without flowering.

The fruits ripen in late September to October. Unripe fruits are inedible, bitter. The easiest and most reliable way is to freeze the fruit. In this state, they can be left on the tree until Christmas or let them "run out" together with the apples at room temperature.

Persimmon persimmon from seeds

If you decide to grow "from seed", you should stratify the seeds in the refrigerator and sow them in February in a substrate rich in nutrients to a depth of 4 to 5 cm. It will germinate in about a month, but be prepared for the seedlings to grow very slowly. You will have to wait three to four years before planting in the garden and a little longer for the fruits. Seedlings bear fruit very late, and you don't know what taste characteristics the fruits will have. For this reason, growers prefer to buy tried-and-tested grafted varieties, where fertility is guaranteed in our conditions.

Asimina /paw-pa/ (Asimina triloba) has acquired many different names: Indian banana, poor man's banana, hoosier banana, pawpaw. The Indian banana is actually the name of an exotic fruit that we also grow in our gardens. At the same time, the quality and taste of the fruits is really comparable to well-known bananas. This exotic, deciduous, fruit tree even has some of the highest quality exotic fruits, containing the most protein.

Asimina is a genus of lower dicotyledonous plants from the Annonaceae family. These deciduous trees have simple alternate leaves and quite large flowers. The mulberry genus includes 8 species and in the wild it is widespread in the southeastern regions of the USA, especially in Florida, but slightly extends to Canada. Actually, it is the only genus of the bottlenose family that extends into the temperate zone.

Despite its exotic origins, the muďoul is a very tough tree that came to us around 1990, i.e. with the fall of the Iron Curtain. Until then it was known only to botanists. In addition, this tree is also very decorative due to its structure. Its fruits, which are remotely similar to bananas, contain similar substances and are also processed similarly in the kitchen.

Muďoul is a very adaptable tree, but prefers soil rich in nutrients and humus, moist soil and can tolerate a higher calcium content in the soil. It sprouts very late and therefore it can easily escape even late spring frosts. At the same time, even frost greater than -25 °C will survive during the dormant season. The muďoul blooms for 2 to 3 weeks, which adds to its decorativeness in the garden.

The easiest way to get a mugwort is to buy a young tree. But beware, cultivars that are able to bear must be grafted. However, it is precisely these coppices that form a crown with plenty of fertile wood. At first, the tree requires a moderate training cut, and in the following years, a maintenance cut will be enough, thanks to which we will preserve the shape and other properties of the crown.

When planting a young tree, we must not disturb its root ball and expose the tap root. It would be a considerable shock to the tree, which might not survive. The root system of the mullein is poor in small root hairs, which is why it is so delicate.

Muďoul grows to a height of 2 to 12 m, so it can be a shrub, a small tree, or a large tree. The bark is thin, dark brown, cracking longitudinally. Its wood is green-yellow, light, soft, coarse-grained and spongy. Buds are small, brown and hairy. Leaves simple, alternate, ovate, entire, glabrous or hairy, 20 to 35 cm long and 10 to 15 cm wide. Fully developed, they are smooth, deep green on the face, lighter on the reverse, turning rusty yellow in autumn.

The smell of crushed leaves is reminiscent of green pepper, the unpleasant-smelling flowers grow singly or 7 to 8 in deep bundles. They are 4 to 6 cm in diameter, have 3 sepals and 6 petals in two unequal circles. Sepals are green, hairy, corollas are white, purple to reddish-brown. Nectaria are present at the base of the petals. Mulberry fruits are large berries, usually in clusters of 3 to 5 from one flower, 3 to 16 cm long, with three to many seeds.

Muďoul is also interesting for its healing properties, as it contains substances that are being tested for alternative cancer treatment. The production of active substances, however, varies greatly among individual individuals.

Mulberries are the largest native fruit of North America. However, they have a very short shelf life when ripe. They taste similar to banana and mango, while having more protein than most other fruits. The fruits can be dried into jams or jellies, or made into compote. You can make a cake or bake a cake from them. However, watch out for seeds that contain toxic acetogenins (polyketides) with insecticidal properties. Some Native American tribes use a dry powder from the seeds of the mullein on children's heads against lice.

And it is the three-lobed gorse (Asimina triloba) that is the only representative of the family that is able to survive the Central European winters. However, it must be said that in our conditions it only reaches a bushy growth, let's only dream of a sturdy tree.

Characteristics of the plant

Jujuba is a deciduous low tree or shrub of the subtropical to temperate zone. The branches are irregularly shaped with a pair of spines at each node. There are also almost thornless species. Jujube belongs to slow-growing trees. It grows to a height of 1 m in about 4 years, 2 m in 10 years, 3 m in 20 years, and 60-year-old trees grow up to 12 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 35 cm. The fruit is an elongated ovoid, pear-shaped to spherical drupe with a dark red or even brown shiny pericarp, 2-5 cm long, initially green, turning orange-yellow to reddish-brown when ripe. Overripe and dried out, they look like fresh dates or olives. The flesh is fleshy, greenish-white to yellowish, sweet to winding and aromatic, crunchy to spongy, therefore it is advantageous to let the fruits rot for some time after harvesting so that the flesh dries out a little. Then it becomes tender and sweet, but has a rather uneven taste. Seed - the seed is spindle-shaped, pointed at both ends. The testis produces a single-seeded drupe, which may contain 1-3 embryos. The seed is hard. There are also seedless fruits, formed parthenocarpically.

Ecological claims

Temperature requirements
Jujube is a typical, undemanding tree of a subtropical continental climate. It grows and bears fruit well even at temperatures of 35 – 38 °C. It ripens very late and if it is a cold autumn, it ripens poorly. It grows well in drier environments especially with hot dry summers. The most important thing for her is a sunny position. A possible location is a cold greenhouse or a sheltered position in southern, warm wine-growing areas. A suitable environment is one with an average annual temperature not falling below 10 °C. In our conditions, jujuba tolerates up to -24 °C.

Land claims

Jujube is not demanding on the soil. Both sandy and clayey, deep soil are suitable. It benefits most from warm, sunny and leeward locations, loose, sandy-clay soil that is well permeable to water and air. It has great adaptability to both dry and wet or saline soils. It grows and bears fruit even on poor soils, where other subtropical trees would not thrive.

Moisture requirements

In conditions where the plant is irrigated, its basic root mass is distributed at a depth of 0.8 – 1 m, and decreases with further root depth. In non-irrigated systems, the maximum main roots are distributed at a depth of 2 m and individual roots penetrate up to 2.6 m.

From the point of view of the beginning of vegetation, it was observed that jujube in the conditions of the Czech Republic (South Moravia) begins to sprout from the end of March to the beginning of April. The beginning of flowering is observed in the greenhouse from the end of April to the beginning of May and in outdoor planting from the end of May to the middle of June. The fruit is harvested in the period from mid-October to early September. The growing season ranges from 188 to 179 days. Jujube fruits require as long and as warm an autumn as possible to ripen, therefore it is advisable to use the earliest possible varieties for cultivation in the conditions of the Czech Republic.

Ingredients

Fruits

Nutritionally, the most important is the content of vitamin C in the amount of 400 – 1000 mg.100 g-1 of fresh fruit. Other important ingredients include the triterpenoid oleanolic, betulinic, ursulic acids, phenols, tannin, betulin, jujubogenin, jujuboside, flavone C-glycoside and spinosin, tannins, red dye erethrozifil, rutin, and vitamins, in addition to vitamin C, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), niacin (PP) and provitamin -carotene. The fruits also contain 2.6-3.4% protein, 3.7% fat and 25-32% carbohydrates. Minerals include potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, zinc, manganese, copper, cobalt and iodine.

Leaves
The leaves contain sugars, -carotene, tannin, flavone glycosides, saponins, coumarins, resin, mucilage, vitamin C (69 mg . 100g -1 ), malic and acetic acid. Leukopelargonidin, leucocyanidin and betulinic acid are found in the bark. The juices of jujube leaves have the only miraculous property. Whether fresh or dried, they contain a substance that paralyzes the cells that perceive sweet taste, i.e. it cancels the ability to perceive sweetness. If we try its leaves, we lose the concept of sweetness for half an hour to a full hour, we don't feel the sweet taste. When we eat sugar, it seems that we are biting into chalk. Granulated sugar gives a feeling of sand, honey tastes like kolomaz. After an hour, the sweetness starts to be perceived again. Currently, intensive laboratory analyzes of this unique substance are still ongoing.

Seeds

The seeds contain quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-diglucoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, rhamnetin and eriodictyol. In 1990, the peptidic alkaloids sanjoinin B, D, F, G2, frangufolin, amphibin D and the cyclic peptide - sanjoininin were isolated from jujube seeds. The seeds also contain the triterpenoid saponins jujuboside A and B, their sapogenin jujubogenin, as well as the flavonoid glycosides swertisin and spinosin, the steroid glycoside daukosterol, etc.

Meaning and use

Fruits

Food importance

The main processing of fruits consists in compote, cooking, making jams, purees, marinades, in the production of cakes, pastries, candies, and also in the preparation of so-called zukat, which is fruit cooked in sugar. They are also used to prepare vitamin drinks, for freezing and drying. After ripening, the fruits acquire a distinctive aroma and are used as a dessert for wine. In some places, jujubes are served with fish or with porridge, usually dried, which are also added to puddings, biscuits and fruit sandwiches. Dried jujubes are sweetened and sold sprinkled with powder from aromatic herbs such as Chinese dates. In Indonesia, the young leaves are cultivated as a vegetable. Fresh fruit is used to make jelly or cheese.

Healing effects

In addition to its fruit value, jujube is of great importance as a medicinal plant. It is widely used in medicine, especially in its country of origin, i.e. in China. Galen credited jujube with beneficial effects on the stomach and digestive system. Avicenna recommended improving a fatty diet by adding fruit and emphasized jujube. Arab physician Massich believed that jujube soothed an asthma attack and improved the symptoms of arteriosclerosis. There is evidence that jujube fruits protect against various diseases associated with insomnia and against loss of breast milk. It is recommended to use the fruits against coughs, insomnia, neuroses, rheumatic pains, it also treats mouth injuries and stomatitis. It also purifies the blood and lowers blood pressure, soothes liver, kidney and bladder pain. An ointment made from fruit powder and honey heals wounds well. There are also mentions of anti-cancer effects. Jujube powder in 80% alcohol is recommended for first degree burns.

Seeds

The seeds treat insomnia and general weakness, palpitations, hypertension, chronic thirst, excessive sweating and malnutrition, have tonic effects on the body, calm the nerves, strengthen bones and tendons. Reduces sweating. It is used externally on wounds.

Leaves

In China, they are used to make eye drops, to reduce fever and also in hair cosmetics for hair growth. Jujube leaves are also used as fodder for sheep and goats, as well as food for silkworms. The leaves are used in the treatment of colds. They are an excellent means of stimulating blood circulation.

Wood and bark

The wood of the jujube is yellowish, with a dark red heart, firm, hard and very heavy. It is especially valued for turning work. Jujube bark contains 4-7.2% of tannins, up to 9.3% in the roots. Sawdust from jujube wood, crushed into a powder and used internally helps against colic in the colon. Jujube roots are used in the treatment of colds and also promote hair growth. The bark is used in inflammation of the eyelids.

In this subpage you will find growing instructions for less cultivated fruit species

In cooperation with the ANTEE company, we have prepared a new e-shop for you!

We sell in the new sales garden in Stará Lípa in Česká Lípa, indicative address description number Liberecká 66 (white house), after it turn sharply to the right onto a dirt road paved with gravel and after 100m you will reach the new fence where our office is located.

The sale always takes place on weekends between 10:00 and 13:00 or by appointment.

If you are looking for something or planning a trip to us, do not hesitate to contact us at netradicniovoce@gmail.com or phone +420 774 287 770, ideally after 2:30 p.m.