Author Topic: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.  (Read 3836 times)

Heinrich

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Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« on: September 24, 2017, 04:10:14 AM »
This year, my two mature Ugni molinae plants did give me a nice and plentiful crop. Both plants are about the same age and size. This gave the opportunity to compare these two varieties. The broad-leaved Ugni on the left and the Ugni Elite on the right side.



Previously, I have called the left plant also large-leaved Ugni.   http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=21253.msg263364#msg263364. However, I prefer the term “broad-leaved”, because the leaves are not so much larger, but considerably broader, compared to some other varieties. The plants grow in roughly 14 liter (3 gallon) pots in a sand/peat mix.
The broad-leaved Ugni gave 110 fruits, weighing altogether 52 g. Ugni Elite gave 256 fruits, weighing altogether 94 g. The average weight of one fruit compares to 0.47 g for the broad-leaved Ugni and 0.37 g for the Ugni Elite.



Bearing so small fruits, Ugni molinae is not a species for commercial fruit production, but is charming with taste and specialness. As regards taste, I prefer Ugni Elite, which is sweeter.
This was the first year, which did give a reasonable harvest. Enough, to share the fruits with my wife. Never seen any Ugni before, she asked: “Where did you get these cowberries from?” I responded:  “That aren´t cowberries. Just taste”. Interesting her comments:  “Mmmh, so good.” And after a while. “These berries remind a bit of rose pepper” (Schinus terebinthifolia, Schinus molle) “and also a bit of juniper berry” (Juniperus communis).




Luisport

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2017, 07:33:09 AM »
Congratulations for your ugni bushes and crop! I have mine with fruit too. They are amazingly sweet and flavour. I just love them and it's impressive how they are not more known!
I love this link: https://zoom50.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/murtillatazziberryugni-molinae/

stuartdaly88

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2017, 06:02:56 AM »
How does the taste compare to strawberry guava? Is it nicer?

thanks
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Luisport

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2017, 12:11:24 PM »
How does the taste compare to strawberry guava? Is it nicer?

thanks
Hi! for me is totaly diferent. The flavour is like a chewing gum!  :P

stuartdaly88

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2017, 02:04:06 AM »
How does the taste compare to strawberry guava? Is it nicer?

thanks
Hi! for me is totaly diferent. The flavour is like a chewing gum!  :P
That sounds nice:)
Iv tried from seeds before without success but now I am keen to give another shot!
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Ynk88

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2017, 04:11:05 PM »
For me the best way to eat them is by making a jelly.
It's like eating a strawberry flavored cotton candy on a piece of bread.

Solko

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2017, 01:04:34 PM »
Very nice plants!
Thank you for sharing your results and taste test, Heinrich. I agree that broad leaf is a more accurate description than large leaf variety.
I had similar results as far as the size of the berries went for both varieties. Unfortunately all my mature broad leaf plants died last year in a freeze that went on for ten days and went below -8 while they were in pots outside.
I did save seeds from all my varieties and have now quite a number of seedlings going from these different types. They are now one year old and I am reporting them for winter. In spring I'll post some pictures of the different leaf types I found between them, no surprises there. They are all in a range from very narrow to quite broad leaves.
I am curious to see after how many years they will start to fruit...

Bush2Beach

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2017, 10:32:26 AM »
The flavor is kind of like spicy blueberries. They're tasty.

Delvi83

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2017, 02:17:36 PM »
What's about its cold hardiness ?

lordkiwi

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Re: Ugni molinae - autumn crop.
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2017, 05:59:59 PM »
hardy down to -7c