I finally got my hands on a dragonfruit plant. The best part is I didn’t have to travel to any dragonfruit convention to find them.
I’m hoping mine will survive the northern California winter. We do have nights where temperatures get to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. At least I’ve had good luck with my other succulents such as Aloe Vera and Queen of the Nights.
It was really easy to plant the cuttings. All I did was stick them in good soil and topped it off with lawn clippings (my version of mulch). Some people mentioned growing dragonfruit from the seeds. I think that would take too long to grow, if at all. But next time around I’ll try to save the seeds and grow them. And they sure have lots of seeds!
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It is 75 days since the BP oil spill on April 20, 2010 off the coast of Mexico. The clean up process has been slow. People are pouring out ideas to Washington, D.C. in the hope of finding a solution. Current estimates of the spewing oil are 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day.
BP and the US Coast Guard have agreed to allow wildlife rescuers to pluck sea turtles out of corralled oil patches to keep them from being incinerated alive (by hundreds of controlled oil burns far out at sea). - Source: CS Monitor.
The oils and tar balls are being seen as far away as Key West and South Carolina. I haven’t been back to Florida, especially Key West for some time now. I was hoping to see it again soon.
Who would have thought this could happen when all this technology is available? It was reported that the oil drilling industry was self-regulated. That just sounds like trouble was waiting to happen.
It’s also not just the people (local business, families, and children) that is being affected, it’s also the wildlife, the coastline, and much more. When I see the images of the damages on the news, it’s just heart breaking. Families that used to vacation here every summer can no longer do so. Places where kids would swim are now filled with oil and tar balls.
The animals are also helpless, especially when they are covered in oil slicks and can’t fly. It was also reported recently that dolphins and sea turtles are being found dead within the spill area.
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Chayote (pronouced cha-yoh-teh) have become more common in the vegetable stalls here in California.
The name Chayote or chocho derived from Mexico (Spanish). In the southern U.S. states, they are commonly eaten and known as mirliton or vegetable pear. Chayote are cultivated in California, Florida, and Louisiana.
The inside of a chayote looks like - the seed is the best part. It is very nutty and creamy. It’s always a treat to open up a chayote and find a huge seed in the middle.
I don’t know if it’s a fruit or vegetable. When seen hanging from the vine, it’s more like a fruit. It’s from the gourd family that also consist of melons, cucumbers and squash.
Some think chayote taste like a potato and can be bland. But I think it has an interesting flavor, like a mix of cucumber and zucchini squash. It is full of vitamin C and other nutrients.
Chayote can also be eaten raw. It’s slightly crunchy. Just shred and mix with a bit of salt, lemon juice, and chili peppers. Chayote can also be added to stir-fry, to retain it’s crisp taste, do not overcook. The list of cooking with chayote can include baking and pickling as well.
All parts of this plant can be eaten, from the leaves to the root. The leaves are also used to make tea. But I’ve never tried eating anything beside the fruit. I like chayote so much, I just steam them and eat as it.
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Natal plum is a thorny evergreen shrub or small tree. They are usually grown for landscaping in warmer parts of the U.S. If you snap a branch or stem, you’ll find milky white sap (it is perfectly safe to touch). The best part of this shrub is the lovely fragrant white star shaped flower and fruit.
Other varieties have scientific names including Carissa Grandilflora, Carissa Macrocarpa, and Carissa Carandas. The shrub originates from South Africa.
Photo by Marco Shmidt of Wikimedia Common.
I have seen these grown as landscaping shrubs widely in the coastal part of southern California. The flowers have a fragrant similar to gardenia and jasmine. Some even think it smells like orange blossoms.
These are also found grown as landscaping plants in Disneyland (LA) and popular in Hawaii too.
Photo 1: Carissa Macrocarpa, image source.
Photo 2: Carissa Carandas (fruit), image source.
Photo 3: Image Source.
The fruits are the size of plums and are bright red. The fruits are edible and usually made into a sauce that taste similar to sweet cranberries.
I wish I knew the fruits were edible while I was living in southern California. I would have gathered a basketful and learn to make sauce or jams with them.
The shrub (Carissa Carandas) is very popular in Indian cooking. The green fruits are pickled, the ripen fruits are used to make chutney, tarts, and pudding. The roots are used in Ayurvedic medicine and useful in treatment of stomach disorders along with other ailments.
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