Ripe persimmon makes a delicious breakfast food or snack, halved and eaten like a melon. Persimmons can also be sliced and used in winter salads or compotes. They can be pureed for sorbets, ice cream, steamed puddings, cookies, and quick bread. Persimmon trees are relatively easy to grow. They are tolerant of most soils as […] More
Cherimoya is a heart-shaped fruit grown on a mostly evergreen tree native to Ecuador and Peru. Cherimoya fruit ranges in weight from about ¼ to 2½ pounds. The fruit has dull green skin with thumbprint-like indentations edged in brown. Inside is a creamy, custard-like pulp with a flavor reminiscent of banana, pineapple, and pear. Related […] More
The apple is a hardy, deciduous woody perennial tree that grows in all temperate zones. Apples grow best where there is cold in winter, moderate summer temperatures, and medium to high humidity. There are apples for fresh eating, some for cooking, and some for preserving. Some apples are sweet and some are tart. Some apples […] More
Mango trees can grow in the home garden. The mango is native to southern Asia and eastern India. Mangoes are among the most widely cultivated fruits in the tropics. There are more than 500 hundred cultivars of mango. Some can grow more than 100 feet tall and more than 30 feet wide. Smaller dwarf cultivars […] More
Quince fruit looks like a fuzzy-skinned cross between an apple and a squat pear. Quince is an autumn fruit. The quince plant is a large bush, as large as 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide. A ripe quince has yellow skin with hints of green. The flesh is yellowish-white, with small seeds, like those […] More
The blueberry is easy to plant and grow. The blueberry plant is best planted and grown where summers are cool and the soil is acidic. There are varieties that will grow in warm, dry summer regions. Blueberries are long-lived. Plant them where they can grow undisturbed for 10 or more years. Blueberries flower in the […] More
Loquats are easy to grow. They produce plum-sized fruits that are sweet and tangy. Loquats are large evergreen shrubs or small trees. They can grow 20 to 30 feet tall but are usually about 10 feet tall or slightly larger. Loquat fruits are round, oval, or pear-shaped, 1 to 2 inches long with smooth, downy […] More
Feijo, also called pineapple guava, is a small oval fruit with smooth, gray-green skin and creamy white flesh that is juicy and pearlike. The flavor of feijoa is sweet and reminiscent of pineapple, pear, and banana. Feijo fruit resembles unripe medium-sized guava from a distance. The fruit is 2½ inches long and 2 inches in […] More
Gooseberries are small, round thin-skinned fruits that look a lot like grapes. Ripe gooseberries can be green, pink, yellow, or white. Some gooseberry varieties are for fresh-eating and desserts; others are for cooking—pies, tarts, jam, jellies, and sauces; and some varieties can be used both fresh and cooked. The gooseberry is a hardy, deciduous, perennial […] More
Currants are small, round berry-like fruits that can be eaten fresh or cooked with sugar and made into pie fillings, puddings, dessert sauces, jams, and jellies. There are red, white–actually yellowish-white, and black-fruited currants. Currants grow as bushes to about 6 feet tall. They grow best in cool-summer regions and seldom thrive in warm-summer regions […] More
Plums are a diverse group of fruiting trees. Plums can be found in most temperate regions of the world. There is a wide range of tree sizes, forms, colors, and flavors. European plums are blue and widely grown. Japanese plums are red and very popular. Native American plums are small and tart. Damson plums are […] More
Avocados have a nutlike flavor and flesh that is buttery in its consistency. Avocados are eaten raw in salads, dips, and sandwiches. They are richer in fat than any other fruit except the olive—20 to 30 percent fat—93 percent unsaturated. There are more than 500 avocado varieties. Some can be grown in warm winter temperate […] More
Stephen Albert