New Fruit So-Shang Elaeagnus latifolia

[fruitlovers]

Got to taste my first fruits of So-Shang. This is a new fruit to USA originally from north-east India (Assam) and Thailand. The first time i tried it was a bit astringent, but it was because it had not ripened fully. Second time i tried it was much better as i let it get fully red. It tastes similar to plum, has consistency of plum, but is not as sweet. It is a nice fruit, plants are super productive making multiple flowers at every single node, and it is cold hardy. In Assam it grows up to 1500 meters (almost 5000 feet). The plant is a small tree sending long semi-climbing shoots. Can be pruned to any shape.




Apparently it is quite easy to start from cuttings. If anyone is interested please let me know. Here is more information about this plant: http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/HTML/vol16_2/R.%20K.%20Patel.pdf
Oscar

[fruitlovers]

Not sure why but one photo providing some scale got cut off:

Oscar

[Soren]

Nice pictures - so the tree(s) finally produced instead of just dropping the flowers! I pruned one tree, and are waiting to see if that will be followed by a blossom.

[fruitlovers]

Yes Soren tree finally started producing. Seems like first flowers weren't properly pollinated. First few fruits were even seedless. But tree just keeps flowering and flowering, and now next batch of fruits had seeds. But tree is not totally loaded, fruiting is still light. I've heard these trees can get thousands of fruits on them!
Oscar

[Soren]

It really looks good - hope to get the same load of fruits soon 

[fruitlovers]

It really looks good - hope to get the same load of fruits soon 

If you can suggest giving it a big dose of potassium fertilizer, like 0-0-50 to induce flowering.
Oscar

[Soren]

I don't think a none-standard NPK fertilizer will be available here in Uganda - however 'potash' is, so let me try it out.

[lycheeluva]

nice pics- had never heard of it

[BMc]

http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/HTML/vol16_2/R.%20K.%20Patel.pdf

[Soren]

nice pics- had never heard of it

The leaves have a silver-like gloss on the backside - so next to a Chrysophyllum cainito tree you can get some nice contrasts; it should also be mentioned that the tree is drought tolerant and grows fairly fast.

[fruitlovers]

Vietnamese must like it to have a stamp honoring it:
http://stampmight.com/Vietnam/Flowers/1981-year/elaeagnus-latifolia-20-cents-1981y-3p.html
Oscar

[adiel]

Got to taste my first fruits of So-Shang. This is a new fruit to USA originally from north-east India (Assam) and Thailand. The first time i tried it was a bit astringent, but it was because it had not ripened fully. Second time i tried it was much better as i let it get fully red. It tastes similar to plum, has consistency of plum, but is not as sweet. It is a nice fruit, plants are super productive making multiple flowers at every single node, and it is cold hardy. In Assam it grows up to 1500 meters (almost 5000 feet). The plant is a small tree sending long semi-climbing shoots. Can be pruned to any shape.

5000 feet?   

[fruitlovers]

Yes, can handle frost. But grows fine here in the tropics also. I just ate some of the seeds, also quite tasty, and shell is pretty easy to open. There are some studies on the net showing these fruits are quite high in anti oxidants. Mostly i just like them for the plum-like taste. After eating a bunch of them i've gotten quite fond of them.
Oscar

[CoPlantNut]

Yes, can handle frost. But grows fine here in the tropics also. I just ate some of the seeds, also quite tasty, and shell is pretty easy to open. There are some studies on the net showing these fruits are quite high in anti oxidants. Mostly i just like them for the plum-like taste. After eating a bunch of them i've gotten quite fond of them.
Oscar

Oscar, have you ever tasted it's close relative, goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora)?  I'm wondering if the taste is similar.  The fruit certainly looks like a larger version of a goumi.

Since E. multiflora is cold-tolerant to -25F, I'm growing it outside here in Colorado. It is a very fast-growing, robust plant that tolerates our desiccating winds and alkaline soil, occasional drought, and poor soil fertility.  Goumi is incredibly precocious (mine fruited when 1 year old), quite prolific (though I have to fight the birds for the 1/4-1/2" long goumi fruit), and very easy to start from cuttings.  Another close relative,  E. angustifolia (Russian Olive) is actually even considered invasive here in our high-altitude desert, but the fruit, while sweet, is dry and mealy in texture and the pit so large that they aren't worth eating.
 
So, I was also wondering if E. latifolia is as fast-growing and robust for you in tropical conditions as E. multiflora is for me?  I could snack on goumi fruit all day long; if the taste and vigor of So-Shang is similar it might be worth getting the tropical variety for an earlier crop. 

   Kevin
 

[fruitlovers]

Yes, can handle frost. But grows fine here in the tropics also. I just ate some of the seeds, also quite tasty, and shell is pretty easy to open. There are some studies on the net showing these fruits are quite high in anti oxidants. Mostly i just like them for the plum-like taste. After eating a bunch of them i've gotten quite fond of them.
Oscar

Oscar, have you ever tasted it's close relative, goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora)?  I'm wondering if the taste is similar.  The fruit certainly looks like a larger version of a goumi.

Since E. multiflora is cold-tolerant to -25F, I'm growing it outside here in Colorado. It is a very fast-growing, robust plant that tolerates our desiccating winds and alkaline soil, occasional drought, and poor soil fertility.  Goumi is incredibly precocious (mine fruited when 1 year old), quite prolific (though I have to fight the birds for the 1/4-1/2" long goumi fruit), and very easy to start from cuttings.  Another close relative,  E. angustifolia (Russian Olive) is actually even considered invasive here in our high-altitude desert, but the fruit, while sweet, is dry and mealy in texture and the pit so large that they aren't worth eating.
 
So, I was also wondering if E. latifolia is as fast-growing and robust for you in tropical conditions as E. multiflora is for me?  I could snack on goumi fruit all day long; if the taste and vigor of So-Shang is similar it might be worth getting the tropical variety for an earlier crop. 

   Kevin

Kevin, i don't have and never tasted goumi. I would be willing to trade some cuttings with you as i'd like to give goumi a try here. I've heard goumi is astringent. Is that true? I noticed with the so-shan (latifolia) that you can eat them even when not fully ripe if you peel them. The astringency is only on the exterior peel. But if you let them fully ripen no astringency at all and very nice plum-like taste and texture, quite juicy. Mine were not attacked by birds because fruits are well hidden under the foliage. The latifolia has been fast growing and vigorous, but it took about 4 years to fruit. The fruits of latifolia are 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches long. I think it is a fruit that has possible commercial future, especially if some trials were done to select best cultivars. It's main down side seems like it has short keeping quality, about 3-4 days.
Oscar

[CoPlantNut]

Kevin, i don't have and never tasted goumi. I would be willing to trade some cuttings with you as i'd like to give goumi a try here. I've heard goumi is astringent. Is that true? I noticed with the so-shan (latifolia) that you can eat them even when not fully ripe if you peel them. The astringency is only on the exterior peel. But if you let them fully ripen no astringency at all and very nice plum-like taste and texture, quite juicy. Mine were not attacked by birds because fruits are well hidden under the foliage. The latifolia has been fast growing and vigorous, but it took about 4 years to fruit. The fruits of latifolia are 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches long. I think it is a fruit that has possible commercial future, especially if some trials were done to select best cultivars. It's main down side seems like it has short keeping quality, about 3-4 days.
Oscar

Oscar,

I'd be happy to send you cuttings- my plants are both still dormant and will be for another 6 weeks or so.  I've never tried to ship plants to Hawaii before (only from Hawaii)- are there any permits or restrictions?  (I also happen to have some small rooted cuttings of Ugni molinae, which I believe you were interested in at one point.)

I have two selected varieties- 'Sweet Scarlet' and 'Red Gem', both of which I believe have been selected for more sweetness, less astringency and better fruit size and production.  Goumi fruit aren't really large enough to not eat the peel, so I've never tried that, but they are fairly astringent when they first turn red; leaving them on the plant for another 2-4 days doubles the pulp volume, increases sweetness and decreases astringency.  'Sweet Scarlet' has very little to no lingering astringency at this point, 'Red Gem' still seems to have a little, but not objectionable.  They are still a bit sour but a very refreshing, cherry or plum-like taste.  I suspect goumi fruit wouldn't have a long shelf life either, but I haven't succeeded in even getting any in the house yet; they all got eaten immediately after picking!

I do think with more breeding and cultivar selection that goumi could be an ideal edible ornamental fruit for temperate conditions.  I have no idea how they would behave without a cold winter dormancy though!

I've heard goumi takes 3-4 years from seed to set fruit, but cuttings usually bear their first season.  Hopefully So-Shang is similar!

   Kevin

[fruitlovers]

Kevin, the 4 years time to fruiting So-shan was from seed. I think So-shan from cuttings would fruit in 1-2 years. Thanks for the offer of chilean guava. I doubt it's going to do well here, but i'll give it a try. Sending clean cuttings in sphagnum moss to here is no problem. Selected varieties of goumi sound great. Let me know if you would like anything else from here? What is the size of the goumi fruits? Sounds like the so-shan is a lot bigger.
Oscar

[CoPlantNut]

Oscar,

I'd love to trade cuttings with you; I've sent you a private message to ask more about exactly what I can send you.

I would think the Chilean Guava would do better in your area than goumi would, just based on dormancy requirements!

   Kevin 

[fruitlovers]

Oscar,

I'd love to trade cuttings with you; I've sent you a private message to ask more about exactly what I can send you.

I would think the Chilean Guava would do better in your area than goumi would, just based on dormancy requirements!

   Kevin

OK, i was guessing it would be the other way around and goumi would do better here than chilean guave, but you never know until you try. I'm willing to give both a try. Thanks, Oscar

[fruitlovers]

Getting some So-shan fruits now that are a full 2 inches (5 cm.) long. You can see here what the seeds look like. After removing exterior pliable hull, football shaped and ridged, which is easy to remove, there is a cottony material surrounding the tasty inner seed.

Oscar

[Soren]

That looks really good Oscar.! I am still to see any blossom on the way, but hope it will come soon.

[fruitlovers]

HI Soren, these so-shan fruits are a full 4 times bigger than the goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora), which is only about 1/2 inch long. This might be the best fruit in this genus?
Did you apply potash to induce flowering to your plant(s)? Might be good also to spray it with pottasium sulfate, or some other form of pottasium that you can easily get over there.
Oscar

[Soren]

Hi Oscar, I did - but the rainy season has not started yet - it looked good in the beginning of the month but for a couple of weeks; no rain. April is the most rainy month, so it should have started - can't be long now!

[luc]

Hi Oscar , Soren and all ,
I have 2 in the ground and one still in nursery-bag , all the same age , one is now over 2 meters , nothing yet....Soren if pruning helped let me know OK .
Luc

[emegar]

Oscar,

Do plan to sell seeds?  I have a goumi and also E. philippinensis, and would be interested in trying to grow this one, as well.

James