Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) 木鱉果

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) 木鱉果

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) seeds. 木鱉果的種子.

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) seeds. 木鱉果的種子.

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) seeds after remove the shells. 木鱉果的種子去殼後的樣子.

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) seed germination in about 7-10 days. 木鱉果種子約7-10天孵出.

Spiny Bitter Cucumber/Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) plants start to climb on bamboo sticks. 木鱉果植株開始攀爬在竹枝上面.

Tropical tender perennial vine.  Native in Southeast Asia. Easy to grow.  Best growing in full sun to partial shade location in warm and moist soil.  The value of this plant is in its orange red juicy seed coating/pulp for sticky rice which is vibrant, flavourful and nutritious.  Seeds are toxic if eaten, but it is medicinal.  Spiny fruit peel is dark red with short soft spiny bumps the look is quite unique.  The plant is either male or female.  So make sure you have both for fruit purpose!  Yellow flowers bloom from late spring to fall, fruit ripe in late fall/early winter to late winter.  Tender shoots can be blanched first then for stir-fry.  Unripe green fruit in whole also can be used for cooking.  Fruit start to ripe will be toxic and only the ripe fruit seed red juicy coatings are eaten as fruit.   USDA Zones:9-11.  Mature size:   Seeds are medicinal.  Seeds are toxic if ingested.

木鱉果是熱帶多年生藤類.  原生於南亞各地.  容易栽種. 最好栽種於全日照到半日照處的溫暖濕潤的土壤.  它的栽種價值在於它的熟果內包覆種子的果肉,直接去籽食用或混入米食內料理成顏色鮮艷,味道更佳的營養米食.  種子有毒勿食,種子是有名的中藥材.  橘紅色有短短的軟刺熟果還蠻特別的.  植株是雌雄異株,所以以結果為前提來種植的話要多孵幾顆種子才行以提高雌雄株皆有的機率.  春末到秋開黃花,花後結果於秋末到冬末才成熟.  嫩莖葉可汆燙後炒食.  未熟的綠色果實整顆可以煮食料理.  快轉熟變色的瓜要等熟成後才能食用其包覆種子的果肉.  植株喜熱怕冷.  成熟植株可達30呎長.  

Reference links: 參考網站資料連結:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gac                                                               https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E6%9C%A8%E9%B1%89%E6%9E%9C      http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/174939/          http://www.seedman.com/gac.htm             http://www.zysj.com.cn/zhongyaocai/yaocai_m/mubiezi.html                        http://allseasonsgofarm.blogspot.ca/                                                    http://cht.a-hospital.com/w/%E6%9C%A8%E9%B3%96%E5%AD%90  https://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X8345&show=&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds&cart_id=111.100

 

Cherimola (Annona cherimola) 秘魯番荔枝

Cherimola (Annona cherimola) 秘魯番荔枝

Cherimola (Annona cherimola) 祕魯番荔枝

Cherimola (Annona cherimola) seeds.秘魯番荔枝的種子.

Tropical fruit tree.  Good size ripe fruit with very fragrant scent and lovely flavour! Easy to grow.  Best growing in full sun location.  Yellowish green flowers in late spring to early summer.   USDA Zones:9-11. Mature size:15′-20′(H/W). Propagate by seeds, air layering or grafting. Seeds are toxic if ingested.

秘魯番荔枝又稱為毛葉番荔枝. 它是熱帶果樹. 熟果的個頭不小,果香濃郁果肉香甜多汁風味絕佳! 容易栽種. 最好栽種在全日照處. 春末夏初開黃綠色花,熟果時間長. 喜熱不耐寒.  成熟株高及寬幅為15-20呎. 繁殖方式以種子,高壓或嫁接方式來進行.

Reference links: 參考網站資料連結:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherimoya
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A7%98%E9%AD%AF%E7%95%AA%E8%8D%94%E6%9E%9D
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56035/

Soursop (Annona muricata) 林琴果/刺果番荔枝

Soursop (Annona muricata) 林琴果/刺果番荔枝

Soursop (Annona muricata) fruit has bumpy surface. 林琴果/刺果番荔枝熟果外皮有突起.

Soursop (Annona muricata) inner fruit and seeds. 林琴果/刺果番荔枝對半切開的果肉與種子.

Soursop (Annona muricata) seeds from a ripe fruit. 從一個熟果取出的林琴果/刺果番荔枝種子.

Soursop (Annona muricata) seeds germinate in about 2-3 months. 林琴果/刺果番荔枝種子約2-3個月發芽.

Tropical fruit.  This fruit has bump surface.  Its inner structure/flesh looks like same genus fruit.   The taste is not that sweet, more on the acidic side although very flavorful.  The after taste in the mouth is very fragrant and flavorful, making me want to savor the after taste longer.   So I realize it will be great to use the edible flesh (after removing peel and seeds) and make juice/smoothie with other sweeter fruit.  That will make the perfect combination!  🙂

熱帶水果.  這種水果果皮有短的軟刺/凸起.  切開後的果肉/構造很同屬的水果很雷同.  果肉白,味偏酸但有多層次感的風味.  食後的口感果香味較濃郁,水果的風味也經久不散,除了果味稍為偏酸不偏甜外,其水果風味及口感倒是蠻不錯的.  若一般喜歡偏甜水果的人可以將可食的果肉(去掉不可食的果皮及種子後) 與偏甜的水果一起打成果汁或奶昔飲用可以將甜味酸味中和.

Easy to grow.  Best growing in full sun location to partial shade location.  Tolerant poor soil.  Creaming white flowers in late spring to early summer.  seeds are toxic if ingested.  Propagate by seeds, cuttings or grafting.  Medicinal.

容易栽種.  最好栽種於全日照到半日照處.  植株耐貧瘠土壤.  淡黃接近白色的花於春末夏初盛開.  種子有毒勿食.  繁殖以種子或扦插高壓/嫁接方式來進行.  有藥用價值.

Mature size: 20′-30′(H) X 15′-20′(W).  USDA Zones:10-11.  Plants are evergreen in warm climate.

成熟株高20-30呎,寬幅15-20呎.  喜熱不耐寒.  在熱帶環境為常綠.

Reference links:參考網站資料連結:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annona_muricata      https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%88%BA%E6%9E%9C%E7%95%AA%E8%8D%94%E6%9E%9D                        http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/73489/

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa)番荔枝/釋迦

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa)番荔枝/釋迦

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa) Left: Bottom view of a ripe sugar apple. Right:top view of a ripe sugar apple 番荔枝/釋迦熟果的上下面. 左:下面;右:上面.

 

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa) inside flesh and seeds of a ripe sugar apple. 番荔枝/釋迦熟果的果肉與種子.

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa) seeds from 2 fruit. 從2顆熟果採收出的番荔枝/釋迦種子.

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop (Annona squamosa) seed germination. 番荔枝/釋迦種子孵出.

This tropical fruit tree bears very sweet fruit!  Easy to grow.  Best growing in full sun to partial shade location.  Suitable for growing in containers.  Late spring to early summer with small light green flowers and fruit slowly ripe later in fall.  Fruit is sweet and delicious!  USDA Zones:10+. Mature size:10′-12′(H) X 4′-20′(W) in tropical growing in the ground.  Lot of smaller when in pots.  Require quite a bit of fertilization.  If growing in cold climate will require over winter indoors in pot.   Propagate by seeds.   Seeds are toxic if ingested.  Fruit has to be harvest when they are very close to ripe otherwise will not be good enough for eating.  When fruit is ripe, the tortoise like shell gap will be open and become creamy yellow.

番荔枝它是熱帶水果,果實很甜!  容易栽種.  最好栽種在全日照到半日照處.  適合盆植.  春末夏初時開綠色小花,果實成熟的很慢.  果實香甜好吃!  喜熱不耐寒.  成熟株高地植可達10-12呎,寬幅4-20呎.  當然盆植的話植株大小要小很多.  重肥.  溫帶地區盆植要於秋天轉涼前搬進室內過冬.  繁殖以種子來進行.  種子有毒勿食.  果實不可過早採收,太早採收無法續熟會無法食用.  果實成熟時似龜甲的外皮溝會變寬轉淡黃色.

Reference links: 參考網站資料連結:                                                                                                                     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annona_squamosa                         https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E7%95%AA%E8%8D%94%E6%9E%9D
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57879/

Common Soapwort/Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis) 高性肥皂花/石鹼草

Common Soapwort/Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis) 高性肥皂花/石鹼草

Common Soapwort/Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis) 高性肥皂花/石鹼草

This common perennial is very hardy and easy to grow and could be invasive.  Best growing in full sun to partial shade location.  Light pink flowers in mid summer to early fall.  Flowers attract bees.  Good for cut flower.  Mature size: 2′-2.5′(H) X 1′(W).  USDA Zones:5-10.  The plant can be cooked and used as soap alternative.   Self seed easily.  Seeds are toxic if ingested.  Propagate by seeds or division.  Medicinal.

肥皂草屬的多年生草花,株高約2呎-2呎半.  夏天開淡粉紅色頂生的小花,花球不小.  非常容易栽種. 全日照或半日照.  繁殖可分株或用種子. 植株開花時皂苷（Saponin）含量最高可達20%.  聽說全株搗爛煮過的水可取代肥皂水來做洗滌使用,但是我還沒有試過. 此種植物耐寒也耐熱.土壤不拘.    非常容易栽種, 多為野生分佈. 藥用連結資料http://libproject.hkbu.edu.hk/was40/detail?lang=ch&channelid=1288&searchword=herb_id=D00880 有一格友用來製成洗髮精,據她說非常好用. 我也來煮製一些試用..

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) 蝸牛藤

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) 蝸牛藤

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) has unique flower shape and mixed of colors with heavenly fragrance! 蝸牛藤花形獨特花色豐富,更有著迷人的濃郁花香!

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) 蝸牛藤

Snail vine seed image.(Cochliasanthus caracalla) 蝸牛藤種子圖.

Snail vine seed germination.(Cochliasanthus caracalla) 蝸牛藤種子孵出.

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) seedling. 蝸牛藤小苗.

Corkscrew Vine/Snail vine (Vigna caracalla) seedling is growing well.蝸牛藤小苗長得不錯.

This unique, perennial tropical flowering vine is growing for its snail shape flowers and its fragrance!  Easy to grow in full sun to partial shade location.  Very hardy.  Spiral shape flowers in summer to fall.  Self sow.  USDA Zones:9-11.   Mature size:15′-20′(H/L) X 3′-4′(W). Easy to propagate from seeds or cuttings.  Seeds are toxic if ingested.

這個獨特的熱帶多年生草本開花藤蔓有著如蝸牛殼形多彩的花,而且花有怡人的香味!  容易栽種在全日照到半日照處. 非常強健好種.  捲曲的花從夏開到秋.  會自行結子繁殖.  很耐熱.  成熟植株15-20呎高/長. 寬幅3-4呎.  以種子或扦插枝條的方式來繁殖. 種子有毒勿食.

Reference links: 參考網站連結:

http://www.learn2grow.com/plants/vigna-caracalla/                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochliasanthus                       http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/snail-vine/growing-snail-vine.htm

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’) 香豌豆

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’) 香豌豆

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’) 香豌豆

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’) germination. 香豌豆孵出.

Annual Lathyrus odoratus (This variety is ‘Painted Lady’) is a highly scented heirloom sweet pea.  It is easy to grow from seeds.  Seeds are toxic if ingested.  It is a easy to grow annual flowering vine.  Excellent for cut flower and in garden to attract bees and butterflies.  Best to grow in full sun location.   Fast growth.   Easy to propagate by seeds.   It will be nice to see the flowers and smell the fragrance soon since it is annual.  I am growing these for Lorna. 這個一年生的香豌豆(這個是品種是’Painted Lady’雙色的花) 的花香味濃郁很受歡迎.  容易從種子栽種.  種子有毒勿食.  它是生長快速的一年生開花藤,很適合當切花花材,也是於園中吸引蜂蝶的蜜源植物. 最好是全日照.  容易自行結子繁殖.