The Chinese have been growing this attractive subtropical tree for 2,000 yrs. The fruit is about 1 inch in diameter, with a round, knobby surface that varies form red to purple. The biggest cultivar, DongKui, may get much bigger than that, up to 52 grams in weight. The pulp is similar in color with a sweet and tart flavor. Each fruit has a single seed is about 10% of the fruit much like a cherry. The Chinese have been using the seeds, leaves and roots for medicinal purposes for centuries. The bark has also been used as a yellow dye. The fruit can also be canned, dried, juiced and made into wine. Also known as Yumberry. This fruit has seen a dramatic increase in popularity over the last decade especially in Australia.
http://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Business/Big-plans-for-Chinese-berry-in-Australia
From my research this plant is somewhat difficult to grow and ship. Which makes me want it even more. The harder or more rare a fruit is the more I want it.
There's mixed reviews on whether they need cold stratification or if they will germinate with just bottom heat. There have been a small handful of growers in California that have successfullly germinated and grown the plant.
It requires a somewhat lower PH Soil and is best planted in September so it can be naturally cold stratified and will hopefully sprout in the coming spring.
The fruit reminds me of our strawberry tree arbutus unedo but it's actually in it's own category of fruits. Arbutus can be a bit gritty and are no better than the fruiting dogwood Kousa.
Myrica rubra appears to be a superb tasting fruit you can tell by how much love and care they get from the folks involved their cultivation in China.
I've managed to get some seeds and will split the seeds in half. One half I will try to germinate right away and will stay in my warm house, while the other I will stick into some most coco coir and will live in my fridge for a couple of months to cold stratify.
Stay tuned.
Update: 8/8/16 We have a single sprout from about 50 seeds! Almost 3 months to germinate. Hopefully a few others will follow suite and germinate as well. It's time to take the ones from the fridge out to see if they would grow as well.
August 10
Hello. I have some of these seeds. I'm wondering, the ones that germinated, did they come from the hot house? Did you use a heating pad or anything?
ReplyDeleteI just left it in bag in the kitchen by the window. Unfortunately the 2 plants I had dried and died. I'm not sure of the cause.
ReplyDeleteMr Ben, my turn to try to raise this plant! wish me luck! if you have tips, I will be happy to listen.
DeleteJulio, from Paraguay.
Hello, my name is Harry working with a company supplying health product in Korea. I am Looking for a person who can sell Marica rubra (Waxberry tree-Yumberry)
ReplyDeleteIf so, please give me a quote for 100kg by air to CIF Incheon.
We would like to purchase it following market demands.
Please contact me via email that
gcmtkorea03@naver.com
Looking forward see your answer.
Harry.
Would you mind sharing which particular vendor you bought seeds from. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI got them on ebay lots of vendors on there sell them.
DeleteDo you recall the vendor's name on ebay by any chance? It should be in your purchase history. I would really appreciate any info on purchasing them from a legit distributor. I have heard so many horror stories.
DeleteThanks for the interesting post!
R,
From what I see your plant needed more light it used all its energy growing tall to fast. The stem was nearly transparent, try filling around the stem with a very moist pear moss and increase light
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for my seeds and I am going to try with GA3. Do you think it is a good ideea?
ReplyDeleteI will receive some seeds as well and I am going to try to use GA3. Do you think it is a good ideea?
ReplyDeleteI love these fruits and have also been dreaming of growing one in my garden. I know that pear trees from scratch takes a lifetime. Do you know how long it will take for your seedlings to grow into a "tree" and more importantly, a fruiting tree?
ReplyDeleteThese appear on our fruit markets every year,around about now,May.I always found them a bit suspect because they look impossible to wash and you cant peel them. Anyway I plucked up the courage to buy a box of the black purple fruit yesterday. I ate a few but oh my goodness, extremely sweet but at the same time extraordinarily tart. The juice like a mullberry immediately splattered all over my shirt staining for life. Now i have all this fresh seed but live in the wrong climate, far too tropical. Anyone try in the tropics? The fruit came from China North of here.
ReplyDeleteHi, Did you try again? Very interested in an update on this post!
ReplyDeleteCheck out the latest post on the topic I finally got my own tree that produced a fruit that I tasted last month
ReplyDeleteIn new zealand, I planted about 1,000 seeds after a short stratification, into a cold frame into a warm sunny area, After 12 months virtually every seed grew. I potted them all up in small pots. Then they started dying every day and all together only about 150 plants surviving. I put a water filter on the hose to avoid chlorine poisoning and using no fertiliser. Other people have reported similar losses to me.I had been using a non-soil commercial potting mix and figure to use real soil in the mix next time.
ReplyDelete