By goodadmin | December 30, 2007
Macadamia is a genus of eight species in the Proteaceae family, with a distribution to eastern Australia; seven native species and Indonesia; one species. Two of the eight macadamia species produce nuts that are a valuable food crop and of a commercial importance (M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla). The rest of the genus possess poisonous and/or inedible nuts.
Mavadamias are small to large spreading evergreen nut trees
growing from 6-40 m tall. The tree has ovate or elliptical in shape leaves, 6-30 cm long and 2-13 cm broad, with spiny-prickly edges and beautiful foliage color change of yellow-green-red-pink. The flowers are 5-30 cm long, (individual flowers 10-15 mm), white, pink or purple in color and with four petals. Bees are the major agent in pollination but wind may play some role.
Macadamia nuts are round, very hard woody with a pointed apex, containing one or two seeds. When mature, (20-25 years), individual trees can produce 50kg of nuts that have delicious flavor and crunchy texture if they are properly collected and dried out as they fall. Macadamia nuts are counted by many to be the prime edible nut
Macadamia nuts are rich in oil, 65% to 75% and prized for its high content, close to 22% of the Omega-7 palmitoleic acid. This high content in palmitoleic acid plus macadamia’s high oxidative stability makes it extremely suitable in cosmetics, especially skin care products.
Macadamia trees are commonly propagated by grafting and do not produce commercial amounts of nuts until they are 7-10 years old, but once established can produce nuts for over 100 years. M.tetraphylla species can be readily propagated from large fresh seed, directly from the tree, placed with the white spot facing down in warm, dampen sand.
Additionally mature tip cuttings of 3-4 leaf nodes or 10 cm long can be rooted in damp warm sand. They will develop a tap-rooting system and if allowed long enough in the sand will produce grape-sized feeding tubercles consisting of (thousands of small radial roots in a clump.
Macadamia nut trees are very tolerant to different types of soil but favor a fertile, well-drained soil and a rainfall of 1,000-2,000 mm, and temperatures above 10°C, (optimum temperature 25°C). They are ideally suited to a frost-free, mild climate with a good deal of rainfall distributed throughout the year. However, once established and toughened they can withstand moderate frosts.
Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. Ingestion may result in weakness with the inability to stand within 12 hours of ingestion. Recuperation is usually within 48 hours. In Australia there are a host of pests and diseases that trouble macadamias.
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By goodadmin | December 14, 2007
The Peach - Prunus persica is a species of Prunus. It belongs to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It is native to China and produces an edible fruit also known as a peach.
The peach is a deciduous tree growing to 5-10 m tall. The leaves are 7-15 cm long and 2-3 cm broad. Flowers are developed in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, pink in color and with five petals. Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are stone fruits (drupes).
The fruit is 8cm across, yellow or red-brown in color, has a single large seed encased in a hard wood cell, oval shaped and 1.5-2 cm long. Flesh is yellow or whitish with a delicate aroma It can easily bruise in most cultivars.
Peach trees grow in a restricted range of climates since they have chilling requirements that subtropical regions cannot offer and, they are not very cold-hardy. Trees can generally stand temperatures up to −30 °C. However, blossom buds begin to die at temperatures between −15 °C and −25 °C for most cultivars and if temperatures drop below −4 °C, most flowers will be killed.
Most peach trees are listed cultivars grafted onto a desirable rootstock. It is possible to raise a tree from seed, but the fruit quality will be uncertain. Peaches are best planted in early wintertime, as this provides time for the roots to be established. Peaches favor full sun position and good air flow. They have a high nutrient requirement and need a good water supply.
The trees are prone to a disease called leaf curl and the fruit is very vulnerable to brown rot.
Almond - Peach (prunus amygdalus persica) is a hybrid which produces an edible fruit with an edible kernel and can be grown and cultivated the same way as the peach tree.
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By goodadmin | December 6, 2007
Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is the solitary member of the genus Litchi in the Sapindaceae family. It is an attractive, evergreen, dense, slow-growing, tropical fruit tree that grows from 10 -30m high. Leaves are glossy, leathery, dark-green on the upper surface and grayish-green beneath, 5-8 cm long. The greenish-white to yellowish flowers are borne in terminal clusters. There are 3 types of flowers appearing in irregular sequence or simultaneously; a) male; b) hermaphrodite, fruiting as female and c) hermaphrodite fruiting as male. The latter possess the most viable pollen. The flowers require insects for transfer of pollen.
Fruits are strawberry-red in color sometimes rose or amber making a striking contrast against the dark green foliage. Theyare aromatic, oval, heart-shaped about 2.5 cm wide and 4 cm long with a thin, leathery, rough warty skin, easily peeled when fresh. The delicately flavored, sweet, white flesh can be eaten fresh, preserved or dried. The yields will depend on the cultivar, age, weather and pollination. Fruiting ability and quality are variable from seeds (seeds remain viable only 4 to 5 days) and usually lychee is grafted or air-layered.
The lychee grows well on a wide range of soils but prefers a lightly acid, fertile, sandy loam soil. Young trees benefit greatly by wind and frost protection but when mature can tolerate light frosts. Newly planted trees must be watered but not fertilized; when fertilized it is best if only organic material is used. In areas where lychees are grown, the most serious foliage pest is the erinose, or leaf-curl, mite. Other pests include: Aphis spiraecola on young plants, armored scale. Birds, bats can damage ripe fruits on the trees. Few diseases have been reported from any lychee-growing localities.
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By goodadmin | November 23, 2007
The orange tree, Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) or Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) is a member of the Rutaceae family the genus Citrus. Its most likely origin is Southeast Asia in either India or southern China. It is a hybrid possibly between the pomelo (Citrus maxima) and the tangerine (Citrus reticulata). It is a small evergreen tree growing to about 10 m tall with alternately arranged ovate shaped leaves 4–10 cm long, shiny and leathery with many oil glands.
The orange flowers are white, some times purple, have a sweet smell and five petals. The fruits are a type of berry (hesperidium),
usually spherical in shape divided in 8-14 sections with many seeds soft, fleshy and juicy and with a flavor that varies from sweet to sour. The fruits are commonly peeled and eaten fresh, squeezed for their juice or made in to marmalade. Citrus fruits are prized for their health values.
Orange trees are cultivated in orchards and in gardens in areas with suitable climate and soil. Citrus fruits can be produced on many kinds of soil from light sandy kinds to clayey. However, the ideal is a loamy soil that holds moisture and has adequate drainage and contains plenty of vegetable matter. Oranges are susceptible to frost damage and growers commonly use sprinklers when temperatures go below freezing. This practice regulates the temperature and protects the crop.
Most common varieties are: Valencia, Navel, Blood, Persian and Trovita.
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By goodadmin | November 20, 2007
The true place of origin of the lemon tree is unknown, though many have linked it to northwestern India. It has been cultivated in Iraq and Egypt by 700 A.D. It reached and China between 760 and 1297 A.D. and it was distributed widely in the Mediterranean region between 1000 and 1150 A.D. The true lemon tree reaches 3-6 m in height and has sharp thorns on the twigs. Leaves are long-ovate, 6-11 cm in length, finely toothed, reddish when young, changing later in to dark-green above and light-green below. Flowers are mildly fragrant, solitary with 4 or 5 petals, 2 cm long, white on the upper inside surface and purplish on the outside.
The lemon tree can tolerate poor and infertile soil but needs good drainage. Ph levels should be between 5.5 and 6.5. If acidity is high, it is necessary to apply lime to achieve the correct level. The fruit is oval 7 -12 cm long with 8 to 10 segments, juicy and acidic with a few seeds; some fruits
are seedless. The peel is usually light-yellow, aromatic, 5-10 mm thick. Early picking of fruit is necessary at any time after the fruits reach 25-30% juice content.
Because of its more or less continuous state of growth, the Lemon trees are more sensitive to cold than the orange and less able to recover from cold injury. They grow best in coastal areas. A temperature drop to -6.67º C will severely damage the wood. Lemons are grown in both dry and humid areas, the latter being a disadvantage in storing. There are more than 40 known varieties of lemons. The two basic types are: acid and sweet. Acid types are more commercially available. Propagation is by seeds and by cuttings. For example the rough lemon is widely grown from seed while Meyer’ lemon is easily reproduced from large cuttings. The better known cultivars of the true lemon are ‘Eureka, Lisbon, Meyer’, Rough lemon, Verna and Armstrong.
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