Monday, June 25, 2012

Hovenia dulcis, the Raisin Tree. I've been waiting for this to fruit for four years

since I came to the Asian Collections actually. USNA 72460-H, it's a NACPEC collection from Shanxi in 2002. I know the story of this odd edible "fruit" and I've eaten them, but never collected the fruit. As the fruit ripens, the peduncles (I don't know the plural of rachis...rachises?)  swell up like little knobby sausages and when dried are eaten like raisins. I'd say they taste about as much like raisins as jujubes do dates. I like them though, and I'm looking forward to tasting some "home grown".

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