NEWSLETTER EXCERPT
Volume 21 #10
Summer-Fall-Winter 2002
WHAT'S IN THE MARKET
Cape gooseberry, Carambola, Carob, Cherimoya, Bitter melon, Feijoa, Guava, Litchee, Longan, Loquat, Kumquat, Lemon grass, Malanga, Mango , Name, Pepino melon, Papaya, Passion fruit, Prickly pear (pads & fruit), Tamarillo (orange and red varieties) Taro, and Water Chestnuts.
SEEDS
This month Bob Jurgens if offering seeds of ‘Socona’, Solanum popiro and ornamental member of the tomato family that was sent to us by Andrew Adair of Australia. Other seeds are Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and Datura (Datura metel). If you are interested, please send $1.00 per packet and a self addressed stamped envelope. Use a sturdy envelope. Checks should be made out to: Rare Pit & Plant Council and mailed to: Bob Jurgens, 116-32 227th St., Cambria Heights, NY 11411.Ceratonia siliqua
We have been preparing for a Pit talk. One of our problems is; what to bring? It should be something that will fit in the car, something that is readily available and easy to grow, and most important - looks good. Our small 8" carob tree fits the bill.
Carob is sold in 6-8" long, flat, dark brown pods. They are available year round in up-scale supermarkets, health food stores and Middle Eastern markets. Within the pods, there are 5-8, flat 1/4" round seeds. These seeds are so uniform in size that they have been used by goldsmiths to check the weight of gold — 14 carat gold.
Extracting the seed is a bit of a chore. The pods are quite dry, but not brittle. You must break them open in several places to extract the seeds. Once you have several seeds, gently nick them by rubbing one edge against a piece of fine sandpaper or a nail file. This should produce a spot on the seeds edge that is lighter in color.
The seeds need to be soak to re-hydrate them. Place the seeds in a glass of luke warm water. They will swell slightly in 24 hours and be ready for planting. If any seeds float to the top, discard them — they are not viable. (This is a good way to check the vitality of all seeds.)
Akee, Blighia sapida a poisonous native of Jamaica
When the seedlings have their second set of true leaves they are ready to pot on. Carob is very slow growing and can live in a 3" pot for several years.
Carob is a small 15' tree that is native to the Mediterranean. The pinnate leaves are about 4" long and the leaflets are 1" long, and resemble miniature holly leaves. Carob is self pollinating and in time will flower and fruit in the home. The flowers are borne in racemes in the early fall and followed by the fruits that are an iridescent green, maturing to dusky brown. Whether your carob blooms or not, it is always an attractive houseplant that is free of bugs, drought resistant and very easy to grow.
Carob trivia: It is said to be the locust that St. John ate during his stay in the Wilderness. The honey in "The land of milk and honey" probably refers to Carob. Today carob is used as a healthy substitute for chocolate. The resemblance to chocolate is a bit remote for choc- o-holic. During the depression, the City of Los Angeles planted carob trees along the streets to feed the poor.
Page 1 of 3