Plants That Have Decorative Fruit – An Important Consideration
Jonathan Ya'akobi While certain trees and shrubs are often planted in gardens because of the edible fruit they supply, the additional visual impact of many fruiting plants should be considered in terms of the overall garden design. Fruit hanging on trees and bushes will in itself provide color, sometimes at a time when color in the garden is lacking, such as is the case with lemon trees in Mediterranean climates, at the beginning of winter. Many woody plants of course have inedible fruit, but highly interesting ones nonetheless, not only in terms of color, but also with regard to decorative shapes and forms. Here are some lesser known examples of fruit trees shrubs and bushes, which thanks to their decorative fruit, add so much to the garden. Let's start with some trees. * Acmena smithii produces spectacularly beautiful lavender berries in the fall, which last through much of the winter. The berries are apparently edible as well. Acmena could be highly susceptible to aphids in your area, as it is in mine. (central Israel) * Hawthorns are usually grown as thorny barriers in Europe and elsewhere. However the small tree, Crataegus monogyna, is adorned with red berries during the winter. The fruits, resemble tiny apples, unsurprisingly, as the hawthorn belongs to the same botanical family as the apple. Unlike many fruiting species of the family Rosaceae, the hawthorn is relatively hardy to pests and disease. Its fruit are edible, and in my opinion tasty, although not everyone would agree with me on that one! Unfortunately, Crataegus monogyna is an under used ornamental tree in dry climate gardens. * Koelreuteria bipinnata is not only a fine landscaping tree for the small garden, its inedible fruits are highly decorative. It is also known also as the Chinese Lantern Tree, from the pinkish, semi transparent fruit that do indeed resemble lanterns, Chinese or otherwise. *Another example amongst many worth taking into account is the Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo. There are very many shrubs and bushes that in addition to their landscaping characteristics, grow fruit as well. Some, like the Natal plum, Carissa macrocarpa have edible fruits, although most people seem to be unaware of this extra property. The dark pink fruit are excellent in salads, and provide some nice color too. Belonging to the same botanical family as the much feared Nerium oleander, its foliage is indeed poisonous, yet the fruit, at least after ripening, is perfectly safe to eat. Some shrubs of course are chosen in planting designs, especially for the spectacular color of their fruit. Examples of such plants with inedible fruit would be Firethorn, Pyracantha coccinea, a mainstay of European gardens, although not well suited to frost free areas. Varieties belonging to the related genus Cotoneaster, actually fruit better in dry locations, and so are particularly relevant to Mediterranean gardens. Myrtles also have decorative berries, which are lost if the plant is over trimmed as a sheared hedge. Finally, don't forget Nandina domestica, a truly lovely sculptural bush. Its white flowers are not particularly attractive, but don't be in too much of a hurry to remove them as you will miss out on the small red berries that adorn the plant to such great effect. About the Author
I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to share my knowledge and experience with you. So you're welcome to visit me on www.dryclimategardening.com Jonathan Ya'akobi may be contacted at http://www.dryclimategardening.com/. Click here to view more articles by Jonathan Ya'akobi. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
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