Roundglass Living, Jackfruit

Roundglass Living, Jackfruit

Bongsong · 10 months ago

Latin name: Artocarpus heterophyllus
Other names: Jack tree
Uses: fruit, vegetable, pickled, fried, chips, flour, dessert

What is jackfruit?

The largest tree fruit in the world, jackfruit belongs to the Moraceae family, which includes fig, mulberry, and breadfruit. Weighing anywhere between 10 and a whopping 50 pounds or more, these enormous fruits have thick, bumpy greenish-brown skin that looks almost lizard-like. Inside you’ll find a mass of plump, stringy yellow pods. Relished both green and ripe, jackfruit is increasingly available in fresh, frozen and canned form.

Why is jackfruit healthy?

Who would have guessed that a low-carb fruit packed full of antioxidants, magnesium, fiber, and vitamin B6 could also be a superior meat replacement? In 2016, plant-based eaters made it a Google “rising star” based on search volume, praising jackfruit for its versatility and unique, meat-like texture. Studies show it also may reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.

What does jackfruit taste like?

When ripe, jackfruit is sweet like a banana, with a slightly tangy acidity reminiscent of pineapple. The bulbs have a bouncy texture like gummy candy. Unripe jackfruit is not sweet and is consumed in cooked form only, almost always in savory dishes. When roasted, compounds found in jackfruit seeds can produce aromas similar to processed cocoa beans. As a result, efforts are underway to see if the seed powder could work as a cacao alternative.

How do I use jackfruit?

Ripe jackfruit is eaten raw out of hand as well as featured in tropical desserts and sweets around the world, including the crushed ice and condensed milk dessert halo-halo in Philippines, Vietnamese chè, and the South Indian mini pancakes chakka nei appam. Since ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet, it is also processed into candies, syrups, juice concentrates, and preserves. Toasted and salted, the seeds make a popular snack.

You can cook unripe jackfruit in a variety of ways. The bulbs can be boiled for salads, fried like cutlets, or simply grilled or sautéed like a vegetable. In many Asian countries, jackfruit is stewed with meat and often served with steamed rice. In the southern states of India, sliced jackfruit bulbs are deep fried and eaten as chips. Through tropical South and Southeast Asia, people consume it in curries or straight off the tree. Cooks in the West have more recently taken a fancy to jackfruit, using it to make taco fillings, salads, burgers, and a vegetarian version of pulled pork. The dried fruit and seeds can be ground into flour.

What does jackfruit pair well with?

Jackfruit likes other tropical flavors — think coconut, and South or Southeast Asian spices.

Where does jackfruit grow?

Jackfruit is native to South and Southeast Asian countries, and is believed to have originated in the region between the Western Ghats of India and the rainforests of Malaysia. Tropical lowlands are ideal for its cultivation; today it’s grown widely throughout the tropical regions of the world. The English name “jackfruit” is derived from the Portuguese “jaca” which comes from the Malayalam term “chakka.”

How to buy jackfruit:

Unripe, it should be firm and sturdy. When ripe, it will become softer and more aromatic. Avoid too-soft or browning specimens.

Fun jackfruit fact:

The wood of the jackfruit tree is resistant to fungus and termites, which makes it an ideal building material for houses and furniture.

Enjoy fresh-picked avocado for your guacamole or toast by growing an avocado tree. "Avocado trees are valued for their nutritious fruits," Popat says. "They require full sun and regular watering to thrive."

Also known as an "acerola" cherry, this tree is an easy-to-grow variety that does well in the ground or a container. "Barbados cherry trees are notable for their high Vitamin C content," Popat says, adding that they prefer partial sun and are quite adaptable to different soil types.

Carambola trees (also known as star fruit) are known for their distinctively shaped fruits and refreshing flavor, according to Popat. While they enjoy full sun to partial shade, Popat says that they require regular pruning to maintain health.

These self-pollinating trees have an interesting backstory since most of them require help from a wasp to produce fruit. "Figs have a unique, sweet taste, often described as a blend of honey and berry, with a soft, chewy texture interspersed with crunchy seeds," says Popat.

Dwarf Trees That Are Perfect for Small Gardens or Patios

Bongsong · 10 months ago

Whether you have a small yard or even just a petite patio space, it's possible to still grow trees to add depth, color, and interest. Love the look of stately birch and magnolia trees but don't have the space to plant full-size versions? Try a dwarf version instead. You'll get the same aesthetic look you're after but in a smaller, more manageable size. And in some cases, dwarf trees can even be grown in containers, making them a unique choice for your patio or deck. Ahead, we spoke to gardening experts for their recommendations for dwarf trees for small spaces.

There are hundreds of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) options with many dwarf varieties. "Some have an upright habit, such as 'Red Dragon,' and others have a more weeping habit, such as 'Waterfall,' says Charlie Nardozzi, author of The Complete Guide to No-Dig Gardening. "The dwarf forms are slow growing, and all stay around 10 feet tall and wide or smaller."

Looking for a dwarf tree to complement your rain garden? The dwarf river birch (Betula nigra) is an excellent option for most soil types and is ideal for shade and rain gardens. "They have great bark, great form, and are small," says Don Eaton, founder and CEO of Bower & Branch.

If you're thinking of growing a fruit tree, consider a dwarf fig tree (Ficus carica). Sten recommends the 'Chicago Hardy' variety, which thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. You can also plant this variety in a tall container if you're short on space. These trees can handle colder weather but make sure to mulch in fall to protect the roots.

The Dwarf Magnolia Flowers

Bongsong · 10 months ago

Magnolia trees (Magnolia) can be much smaller than you might think. "While most gardeners think of native magnolias as large majestic trees, there are several dwarf selections that fit well in a small space garden," says Nardozzi. He has a variety called 'Jane' on his property. "It has stayed below 12 feet tall after 10 years of growth with showy purple flowers that repeat bloom," he says. Another option he recommends is the variety 'Little Gem,' which is a good Southern dwarf magnolia with white flowers and evergreen leaves, he says.

The Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry

Bongsong · 10 months ago

Another fruit-bearing dwarf tree to consider in your garden is the everbearing mulberry (Morus nigra). "Dwarf mulberries are fast-growing trees that produce a long, dark fruit that tastes like a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry," says Tucker Taylor, culinary gardener at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Sonoma, California. "They are one of the oldest cultivated fruits grown in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans." Dwarf everbearing mulberry varieties can be grown in containers as well.

If you love citrus but don't have space for a large citrus tree, try finger limes (Citrus australasica), also known as citrus caviar. They produce finger-shaped round, tart fruit. "Finger limes are one of my favorite citrus varieties to grow in temperate climates," says Taylor. Grow in a south-facing sunny area with minimal exposure to wind or frost.

With beautiful flowers in the summer and peeling bark in the winter, the seven-son tree (Heptacodium miconioides) is striking year-round. "It produces clusters of fragrant, white flowers in late summer and fall on a birch-like shaped tree," says Eaton. "It's a favorite of butterflies."

The cultivar Thuja Fluffy is a North American native tree and is resistant to windburn, making it an excellent choice for borders, says Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins, a full-service nursery. Grow in moist, well-drained soil and choose an area that has full sun to partial shade.

Weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis) produces tiny pink-hued blooms in the spring, and 'Pink Heartbreaker' is a dwarf cultivar of this favorite tree. "Bower & Branch introduced 'Pink Heartbreaker' about 15 years ago, and the original discovered plant is still only 7 feet tall and about 15 feet wide," says Eaton. "These trees are more hardy than regular redbuds [and] are a great focal point, patio tree, or window tree!"

A slow-growing deciduous shrub, dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia) has a compact, mounded habit. Terminal bottlebrush-like spikes produce white flowers and yellow anthers that fill gardens with interest in April and May. "This plant has suckers. They need to be removed if you do not want colonies of these shrubs," says Langelo.

Dwarf chenille (Acalypha reptans) is a heat-loving, trailing evergreen shrub with crimson flower spikes above ovate dark green leaves. Langelo recommends deadheading the flower buds immediately after the blooms die to stimulate re-bloom.