Author Topic: Ndea  (Read 5525 times)

HIfarm

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Ndea
« on: March 24, 2013, 12:44:50 AM »
Just wondering if anyone has experience with ndea (Sarcocephalus xanthoxylon) seedlings.  I had a lot germinate but lost most to damping off or some other similar problem (weird, no signs of wilted or withered seedlings -- just appeared to be gone like they never existed).  In any event, it appears that I got over that hump and the seedlings are getting larger but still not starting to appear "tree like" (most fruit trees & shrubs tend to develop a woody look after a while) -- these are still looking kind of herbaceous.  I started them in a flat since they seeds are so tiny and I plan on potting them up into real pots but I don't want to try to move them yet as they seem too delicate.

Any advice anyone can give would be appreciated.

Thanks,
John

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2013, 12:49:43 AM »
I think Whitman had one, in his fruits from Zaire section of his book...and it never really set fruits, although it flowered.

I wonder what the fruit is like...sorry I don't have more info.

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HIfarm

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2013, 01:15:19 AM »
Roy Danforth describes it as one of the Congo's finest fruits.  According to Roy: "The flavor is similar to an apple and the texture is like a pear.  These fruits are tasty and filling, but Westerners tend to label them too soft or mushy, if they are too ripe."  Very weird looking fruit.  However, a grower in Puerto Rico was not at all fond of them so I am not banking on it being great.

Roy also confirms that Whitman had a tree (a two year old tree survived two nights of 32F).

Thanks,
John

I think Whitman had one, in his fruits from Zaire section of his book...and it never really set fruits, although it flowered.

I wonder what the fruit is like...sorry I don't have more info.

fruitlovers

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2013, 03:07:38 AM »
Roy Danforth describes it as one of the Congo's finest fruits.  According to Roy: "The flavor is similar to an apple and the texture is like a pear.  These fruits are tasty and filling, but Westerners tend to label them too soft or mushy, if they are too ripe."  Very weird looking fruit.  However, a grower in Puerto Rico was not at all fond of them so I am not banking on it being great.

Roy also confirms that Whitman had a tree (a two year old tree survived two nights of 32F).

Thanks,
John

I think Whitman had one, in his fruits from Zaire section of his book...and it never really set fruits, although it flowered.

I wonder what the fruit is like...sorry I don't have more info.

Very poor tasting fruits. It's hard to believe that is "one of Zaire's finest". A friend described it as cardboard tasting. There are others in that same family with much better taste. Has neat flowers and fruit also looks really neat. But if you like good tasting fruits, this is not the one for you. Here is a photo of an immature fruit:
Oscar

HIfarm

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2013, 03:37:24 PM »
Thanks, Oscar.  I don't have many seedlings but I definitely won't be planting them all after this second poor review.  Will one tree bear fruit or are two required?

How long does it take seedlings to stop looking herbaceous and start to get woody?  Should I wait for that to transplant them or would potting them up be ok now?  They look delicate but sometimes that can be misleading.

Thanks,
John



Very poor tasting fruits. It's hard to believe that is "one of Zaire's finest". A friend described it as cardboard tasting. There are others in that same family with much better taste. Has neat flowers and fruit also looks really neat. But if you like good tasting fruits, this is not the one for you. Here is a photo of an immature fruit:

[/quote]

PedalaiMaster

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2013, 11:09:20 PM »
Roy Danforth describes it as one of the Congo's finest fruits.  According to Roy: "The flavor is similar to an apple and the texture is like a pear.  These fruits are tasty and filling, but Westerners tend to label them too soft or mushy, if they are too ripe."  Very weird looking fruit.  However, a grower in Puerto Rico was not at all fond of them so I am not banking on it being great.

Roy also confirms that Whitman had a tree (a two year old tree survived two nights of 32F).

Thanks,
John

I think Whitman had one, in his fruits from Zaire section of his book...and it never really set fruits, although it flowered.

I wonder what the fruit is like...sorry I don't have more info.

Very poor tasting fruits. It's hard to believe that is "one of Zaire's finest". A friend described it as cardboard tasting. There are others in that same family with much better taste. Has neat flowers and fruit also looks really neat. But if you like good tasting fruits, this is not the one for you. Here is a photo of an immature fruit:

HaHa, Zaire must have some pretty darn bad tasting fruits, if that is one of the best, I wouldn't want to taste the worse  :P.
;D Many Regards to all, PM ;D

fruitlovers

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2013, 02:36:06 AM »
Maybe everything tastes better when you're extremely hungry? Either that or the tree performs totally differently in Africa than it does in Hawaii.
Oscar

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2013, 01:32:26 PM »
Maybe everything tastes better when you're extremely hungry? Either that or the tree performs totally differently in Africa than it does in Hawaii.

The selection of native species in Africa is fairly poor, so you can experience great diversity in taste. I can imagine this is the case for the fruits which ended up in Hawaii. And by the way don't forget the junglesop; in Cameroun it is not considered edible for humans, yet in Congo it is one of the finest fruits.
Søren
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Ethan

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2013, 01:38:06 PM »
One gentleman we visit in PR has a tree and the fruits just fall to the ground, I dont think anything eats them.  I believe it might have been described as cheese and cardboard tasting????but that could be totally wrong, he showed us a lot of trees that day!

fruitlovers

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2013, 06:04:59 PM »
Maybe everything tastes better when you're extremely hungry? Either that or the tree performs totally differently in Africa than it does in Hawaii.

The selection of native species in Africa is fairly poor, so you can experience great diversity in taste. I can imagine this is the case for the fruits which ended up in Hawaii. And by the way don't forget the junglesop; in Cameroun it is not considered edible for humans, yet in Congo it is one of the finest fruits.

About the junglesop, hard to say whether different preferences in Congo and Cameroun are due to variability in fruit or variability in human preference? Think of the jackfruit in Sierra Leone that Future posted about. He said it was one of the best he ever tasted, but that the people there don't like to eat it.
Oscar

HIfarm

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2016, 10:21:54 PM »
I spoke with Paul Noren about ndea. He reports that this one is a water lover and copious water may be essential to fruiting.  He reported that there are some near them growing very close by a stream that were 25-30' tall when he got there (30 yrs or so ago) and are not significantly taller today but these fruit regularly.  He has planted some in a drier area that have reached 90' or so and have never set fruit.  So, if you have them, plant them in as wet as area as you can.  He is also a bit uncertain if they are monoecious or dioecious. 

He has commented that quality of the fruit varies enormously.  Those in his area are very tasty.  Some in a fairly nearby region (I think it was Cameroon) are hard & completely inedible.

John

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2016, 06:18:27 AM »
I spoke with Paul Noren about ndea. He reports that this one is a water lover and copious water may be essential to fruiting.  He reported that there are some near them growing very close by a stream that were 25-30' tall when he got there (30 yrs or so ago) and are not significantly taller today but these fruit regularly.  He has planted some in a drier area that have reached 90' or so and have never set fruit.  So, if you have them, plant them in as wet as area as you can.  He is also a bit uncertain if they are monoecious or dioecious. 

He has commented that quality of the fruit varies enormously.  Those in his area are very tasty.  Some in a fairly nearby region (I think it was Cameroon) are hard & completely inedible.

John
Thanks for the report John. I also talked to Paul about ndea. Reason being that in his book it is described as one of the best fruits of Africa. But 2 growers, one here in Hawaii, and one in Puerto Rico, told me it is a totally worthless fruit. I believe both of these growers got their original seeds from Noren/Danforth. So this fruit might be highly variable in quality from seed. Either that or climate/soil really affects their quality?
Oscar

HIfarm

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Re: Ndea
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2016, 12:00:28 PM »

Thanks for the report John. I also talked to Paul about ndea. Reason being that in his book it is described as one of the best fruits of Africa. But 2 growers, one here in Hawaii, and one in Puerto Rico, told me it is a totally worthless fruit. I believe both of these growers got their original seeds from Noren/Danforth. So this fruit might be highly variable in quality from seed. Either that or climate/soil really affects their quality?

I had heard the same report from the grower in PR.  I'm hoping that the fruit is worthwhile and maybe it is the "terrior" affecting it -- soil, ground water content, climate, etc.  (hoping that the growers with bad fruit have it planted inappropriately.)  It is interesting to note that we visited a grower here along Hamakua with ndea where the tree is planted in an area not far from water diversion swales and Paul noted that the growth habit of that tree appears intermediate between the ndea in waterlogged soil & those in dry soil.  It sounds like it is about fruiting size so we'll have to see the fruit quality, if it produces.

John