The latest dirt from my garden: January 2014

Monday

The Killarney Strawberry Tree

Isn't this lovely!

The strawberry tree is native to Ireland, southern Europe and the western Mediterranean region (Turkey, Greece, Lebanon) where it grows in rocky, well-drained soils.
The small white or pinkish blueberry-like flowers are assembled in drooping panicles about 2" (5cm) long. The spherical bright red fruits are warty and about 3/4" (2cm) in diameter. They take a year to ripen, and both flowers and fruits can be present at the same time.
Strawberry tree is 8 to 20+ ft (2.5m to 6m+) tall and wide. Full sun or partial shade (essential in desert areas). Makes a striking display as a specimen shrub. Great for Bonsai.
The bark of strawberry tree has been used in tanning leather. The fruit is edible. The fruits are prepared as jams, jellies, syrups, candied fruit, distilled and fermented drinks, such as wines (Medronho) and liqueurs. Produces a rare, highly-esteemed honey in Sardinia.
Strawberry tree is tolerant of acidic to alkaline soils. Zones 8-11. Seeds found here

It's a challenge. Very finicky to grow, but well worth it!

Friday

Goblin Garden - The Mighty Alraun

Rare

It's one of the oldest and most famous plant in witchcraft, rituals and medicinal use. It's also mentioned in several references in the bible. According to the legend, a dog had to pull up the man-like roots as their scream reputedly killed all who heard it! Today the plant is best known from the movie "Harry Potter".
This plant belongs to the nightshades family (Solanaceae) and all parts are poison.

Mandrakes are stemless, perennial herbs with dark green leaves, resembling somewhat the leaves of chard and a have large taproots that can grow up to two feet in length, resembling somewhat a human.
The pale to vibrant bluish purple flowers emerge in a cluster from the center of the plant. The fruit, orange to red berries, resembling tomatoes, ripen by late summer. The fruit is highly fragrant, one ripe fruit placed in the middle of the room will perfume the whole room with a pineapple like scent.

This plant is hardy to at least 20F when fully grown, it can be grown anywhere in the sub-tropics as long as there are cool winters there. It requires good drainage for best growth and is not too picky about soil types.
This plant gets dormant in the summer times. Every autumn the root grows a new rosette of leaves. The leaves grow fast and in only a month they are fully developed. Zone 7. Seeds available here

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The latest dirt from my garden

Monday

The Killarney Strawberry Tree

Friday

Goblin Garden - The Mighty Alraun

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