The Tropical Fruit Forum

I have several big plants and i love them! They are sweet and bit juicy... i love them in salads, deserts or like that! I eat the young leaves in sandwish or salads too and the flavour is like rúcula! 

Health Benefits of Phalsa

Falsa fruit has several traditional health benefits. According to the “Encyclopedia of World Medicinal Plants,” phalsa is an astringent, coolant, and stomatic. In vedic times, the bark was used as a demulcent and serves as a treatment for rheumatism. Ground leaves treat pustular infections, and possess strong antimicrobial and antibacterial properties capable of remedying E.coli. Unsurprisingly, given the fruit’s arrival during the scorching summer months, the fruit treats dehydration and acts as a coolant.
 

Phalsa has several health benefits substantiated by the scientific community as well:

--According to an article published by the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, phalsa is a low glycemic index fruit, thereby having positive effects on blood glucose metabolism. Simply put, the fruit is a good choice for those with blood sugar problems such as diabetes.

--Like other purple-skinned fruits, phalsa has strong irradiation protection qualities due to its amazing free radical scavenging activities. Such findings were explored in a 2009 study published by the Journal of Radiological Protection, and affirmed again in another 2008 study published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine.

--Amazingly, a 2011 study published in “Der Pharma Chemica” found that falsa fruit and leaves exhibited significant anticancer activities against breast cancer cells and liver cancer cells. This affirms traditional Native American applications of the fruit against cancer-like illnesses.

--According to a study published in the “International Journal of Food Science & Technology,” phalsa significantly inhibited fungal growth, thereby supporting its traditional use as an antifungal and antimicrobial.

http://theindianvegan.blogspot.pt/2013/03/all-about-phalsa-grewia-asiatica.html

I'm so happy today too, i thought my two lychee trees were kild in winter, but today i discovered they are sprouting!!! 

Infortunately the real crisis in Europe is people starving, including children! 

One more

How lucky!!! Sortudo!!! 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlFFCVpYCCU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlFFCVpYCCU

PM sent

Mine have flowers for first time too... lets see if i will get fruits or not...  Beautiful tree! Congratulations!

Schisandra chinensis

Climbing Vine

Max Height (cm): 900.

Max Spread (cm): 200.




Magnolia Vine, known as Wu Wei Zi in China and Limonnik in Russia, is a deciduous woody vine native to forests of Northern China and the Russian Far East. Red berries about 6mm in diameter are borne in grape-like bunches about 10cm long. Wu Wei Zi means "the fruit of five flavours", because the berries taste sweet, sour, salty, hot and bitter all at the same time.

Schisandra chinensis prefers slightly acid soil, but tolerates others. It is a woodland plant and can grow in full shade or semi-shade. Some sources claim that Magnolia Vine is not self-fertile, however we grew just one plant a while back in European part of Russia and it did produce fruit.

The berries have been traditionally used by Nanai hunters to improve night vision, as a tonic and to reduce hunger, thirst and exhaustion. The hunters are claimed to go for days in Taiga without other food, but Limonnik berries. Young leaves are also edible - cooked and used as a vegetable.

Schisandra has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years. It is known to increase resistance to disease and stress, increase energy, physical performance and endurance. It is used for preventing early aging and prolonging lifespan, normalizing blood sugar and blood pressure and for treating liver disease (hepatitis).
 http://www.usefulplants.co.uk/climbers/shisandra

5 Ways to Find Balance in an Out-of-Balance World



By Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., PhD


If the negative news headlines and natural disasters are throwing your equilibrium off balance and running you on the road to burnout, you are not alone! Take a pause and regain a sense of calm with these all-natural tips.

1. Schisandra Soothes and Rejuvenates
A prized berry that has been used for thousands of years to revitalize the senses, schisandra contains several vitamins and flavonoids that possess antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. It is considered an energy tonic that enhances both physical endurance and mental concentration; at the same time, it soothes the nerves, taking the edge off anxiety. It has been used as an adjunct support for immune function in patients undergoing chemotherapy and helps to protect the liver and kidneys. Grown in Asia, schisandra is available as a supplement from health food stores.

2. Beat the Blues With B6
Vitamin B6 plays a role in red blood cell metabolism, protein metabolism and synthesis of neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. It also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and increases the amount of oxygen carried to your tissues. Low levels can lead to an increase of homocysteine, anemia, headaches and depression. Start by eating B6 foods: bananas, chicken breast, garlic, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, sunflower seeds, broccoli, red bell peppers, watermelon, avocados and potatoes.

3. Get Your Blood Flowing
The constant pressures of your job, family and events that are out of your control can lead to chronically elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is a direct cause of muscle and joint pain. Clenched jaw? Lump in your throat? Chronic back and neck pain? These can all be manifestations of stress in your body. You can release physical tension and clear these emotional blockages with regular exercise, massage therapy, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, or any activity that gets your energy flowing.

For increased stress reduction, practice five minutes of deep breathing during exercise. While exercising, deliberately slow down your breath by counting to 10 for each inhalation and exhalation When you exhale, blow out and let go of worries and negativity. After five minutes, you should immediately experiences deeper state of relaxation.

4. Breathing Brings Balance
Use deep breathing and rest to restore your metabolic equilibrium. Sometime during your busy day, find time to close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths. Even better, meditate on a daily basis and head off emotional extremes before they start. Studies show that people who meditate are calm, slower to anger, and better able to see through problems to good outcomes. Start a meditation practice with five minutes and work your way to 15 or 20 minutes each day. It doesn’t matter what kind of practice you do, as long as you do it every day. For instruction, you can take a class, listen to a guided CD, or watch this video.

5. Take a Time-out From Technology
Your brain, like a computer, can handle only so much information within a given amount of time. Overloading your system is a recipe for stress. To evaluate if you’re overloading your circuits, examine all that you take in every day. Do you have to watch the news on TV, read it on the Internet, and also listen to it during your commute? If you exchange 200 email messages every day at work, do you also have to look at them at home and on weekends? Try taking a full day off from technology. Turn off the TV, limit your email time, and turn your phone to silent. Even a half-day off will cut down on stress and preserve your energy.

http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/mao-shing-ni-lac-dom-phd/5-ways-find-balance-out-balance-world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH1e8V11hzs

 Cultivation details                                           
Prefers a rich well-drained moisture retentive soil[11, 200]. Prefers a slightly acid soil but tolerates some alkalinity if plenty of organic matter is added to the soil[200]. Requires some protection from the most intense sunlight[200]. Plants succeed in quite deep shade and are suitable for north-facing walls[219]. Plants are intolerant of drought[K]. The fully dormant plant is hardy to about -17°c, though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Plants climb by twining around supports. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring[219]. The flowers are sweetly scented[245]. The leaves are also aromatic[245]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. 
                                                                         

Propagation                                           
Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame[200, 238]. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in a greenhouse in the spring[238]. Germination can be slow and erratic. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first 2 years. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Overwinter in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring[11, 78]. Good percentage[78]. Layering of long shoots in the autumn[200].
 
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Schisandra+chinensis