[For
teaching purposes only; do not review, quote or abstract] <Economic Plants Index> <Main Menu>
[ This Section may require several minutes to download]
Fruits of
Temperate Regions
(Contacts)
Please CLICK on Underlined
Categories to view:
[ to search for Subject
Matter, depress Ctrl/F ]:
Fruit Preservation & Classification Pome Fruits Apple Pear Common Pear
Chinese Pear Medlar Quince Stone Fruits
Apricot Cherry Sweet Cherry
Sour Cherry Peach Plums and Prunes European
Plums American Plums Japanese Plums
Prunes Gourd Fruits Melons
Netted Melon Watermelon
Grape European Grape American
Grapes Grape Currants Berries
Blackberries
& Raspberries Blackberries Loganberry
Raspberries Blueberries and Huckleberries Cranberries
Currants and
Gooseberries Mulberry Strawberries
=====================================================================
|
Most developments and improvements
in fruits have been a result of selection and hybridization, but there are
sill many wild fruits used worldwide.
In America wild fruits were first cultivated after the European
colonization. Of especial interest is
that many of the fruits grown in modern times had their origin in the same
part of Asia of the earliest civilizations.
This is for the most part true of the rose family that includes a
large number of our most popular fruits:
apple, cherry, plum, pear, apricot, raspberry, blackberry and
strawberry. Plums and apples still
exist in the wild state in the mountains of Western and Central Asia. Concentrations of fruit plants gathered in the
Mediterranean region where the climate proved ideal for growing them. There they were improved and
perfected. The Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans knew many varieties. The Dark
Ages did not extinguish the knowledge and experience that had been gained in
ancient times. The early colonists
brought fruit seeds and plants to America and these have spread over the
continent. Commercial fruit growing
then became increasing important, particularly on the Pacific Coast. Today California, Washington and Oregon
include one of the largest fruit-producing areas of the world. In temperate climates fruits are considered more as an
agreeable addition to the diet than as a staple food. However, in tropical areas fruits may
often be the main, and even the only, source of food. Crops such as banana, plantain, date, fig,
coconut and breadfruit are staples.
Temperate zone fruits have only a slight nutritive value. The water content is around 80 percent and
the rest of the fruit is made up of cellulose, with some roughage value, and
a solution of sugars, starches, pectin and organic acids that are flavored
with essential oils and aromatic ethers.
Carbohydrates are the most abundant, the exact quantity and kind of
sugar being determined by the stage of ripeness. Fats and proteins are negligible. However, organic acids are present in larger amounts than in
any other plant products. These are
mainly malic, citric and tartaric acids.
The different pectin compounds are important for they have the
property of forming a jelly under the right conditions. Mineral salts are also present in sizeable
quantities. Many ways have been devised to
preserve perishable fruits. Included
are salting, drying and smoking; sweeting with honey, sugar and spices;
preserving in alcohol or other chemicals; pickling in vinegar; packing in
fats; sterilization; canning and freezing.
Drying, canning and freezing are the most important. Drying preserves fruit because bacteria fail to develop
when the water content is below 25 percent.
Sun and hot air are used in this process. Some fruits are cooked with sugar before drying. In canning a strong solution of honey,
sugar or glucose keeps out agents of decomposition and thus great quantities
of fruit are preserved as jellies, jams, marmalades and candied fruits. The cold pack or quick-freezing method is
very effective. In this case the
fruit is placed in small containers and the heat is extracted rapidly from
both the top and the bottom of the container. This produces smaller ice crystals as the material freezes and
gives a superior color, quality, flavor and vitamin content to the product. Quick-freezing is practicable for
commercial or home use. Although it
has been used since the first of the 20th Century, it became of greater
importance by the end of that century.
This is coincident with the development of improved cold-storage
methods and greater ease of transportation.
By the 21st Century the production of fresh fruit had become an
important worldwide industry and it is possible to receive fresh fruit from
all parts of the world from a supply that is virtually unlimited. This is a variable procedure. Technically a fruit is the seed-bearing portion of the plant
that consists of the ripened ovary and its contents. Usually the ovary alone is involved in the
formation of the fruit, but in the accessory fruits other structures, such as
the calyx and receptacle are involved.
Simple fruits are derived from a single ovary, and compound fruits
from more than one. In the latter the
aggregate fruits are formed from numerous ovaries of the same flower, while
multiple fruits come from the ovaries of different flowers. They may be either dry or fleshy. Thus, grains, legumes and nuts and some
vegetables may come under the definition of fruits. However, in this section only those fruits that are usually
consumed without cooking are considered.
It is convenient to divide those fruits of temperate regions from
those of the tropics and subtropics, which will be treated in the next
section: Fruits of
Tropical & Subtropical Regions Pome fruits are simile accessory fruits where the ovary
is surrounded by a fleshy outer portion derived from the same other part of
the flower. There is some
disagreement as to the morphological nature of this edible portion. Sometimes it is considered to be a fleshy
calyx, but more often it is an enlarged receptacle. In both cases the ripened ovary forms only the core. In most of the pomaceous fruits the flesh
surrounds the carpels entirely, but in the medlar the carpels are exposed at
the top. Even though the word “pome” is
restricted to this type of fruit, Pomology retains
its original Latin significance and refers to the whole subject and practice
of fruit growing (Hill 1952). Apples, Pyrus malus, are in first place among
fruits of temperate regions The tree is indigenous in Eastern Europe and
Western Asia and has been grown for over 3,100 years. Apple seeds have been detected in the
remains of the Lake Dwellers of Switzerland.
The Romans knew over 22 kinds and nowadays there are perhaps 7,000
horticultural forms. This great
number may be due partly to the ease of hybridization and their great
variability. The apple tree is low,
round-crowned and rarely exceeds 20 ft in height. It may attain an age of 100 years. The wood is hard and dense and is used for tool handles and
firewood. The pink and white flowers
and the leaves are borne together, usually at the ends of short twigs, known
as spurs. Apples grow well in many
different kinds of soils and climates.
The best yield is obtained where the soil contains a slight amount of
lime. Apple trees are hardy and can
be grown as far north as 65 deg. North latitude, they are subject to frost
injury. There are only a few varieties
that will grow in the tropics and these are usually placed at higher
elevations. The principal apple
producing regions are North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa. European varieties of apple ere brought to America when
it was found that the native species had little value. By 1750 there were many well-established
orchards. Apples can be grown from
seed, but propagation is usually by budding or grafting. Summer, autumn and winter varieties are
developed. They are picked when fully
ripe in order to allow for all the necessary chemical changes to take place
during ripening. This involves an
increase in the amount of sugar and a corresponding decrease in starch and acidity. Apples have exceptional storage qualities. They are often dried as well as eaten raw
and cooked. A considerable amount is
canned, usually as applesauce. The
juice is converted into cider and vinegar.
The sugar in fresh apple juice is readily changed into alcohol by the
action of wild yeasts. When the
alcoholic content is a maximum, hard cider is the result. Later acetic acid bacteria convert the
alcohol into acetic acid or vinegar.
Applejack is an alcoholic beverage made from cider. Other by-products include apple
concentrate, apple powder, apple pumice and apple syrup, the last is used in
bread, cigarettes and smoking tobacco to maintain the proper moisture
content. Crab Apples produce a
small yellow or reddish fruit about one inch in diameter. There are several American species, but
their fruits are of little value.
They are grown primarily for their attractive flowers. Crab apple cultivars are usually hybrids
between the common apple and the Siberian crab apple, Pyrus baccata. Many oriental species have been introduced
for ornamental purposes and are grown for their beautiful flowers. Pears are widely used as table
fruits and great quantities are canned.
A beverage, Perry, similar to cider is made
from the juice. In North America,
California, Oregon, Washington and New York are the leading producers. There is a large export trade with Europe. Pyrus communis is indigenous to Eurasia and was
known since ancient times. It resembles
apple but is a bit longer and more upright.
The flowers are generally white and are formed with the leaves. The typical pyriform fruit has a
persistent calyx. Common pear is
sweeter and juicier than apple, and the flesh contains numerous grit or Stone Cells, a specialized type of cell with very
thick walls. Pears are not as hardy
and have a more restricted rang than apples.
They do best in heavy soils with considerable humus and good drainage
and regions with a more equable climate, especially near large bodies of
water. They propagate from seed or by
grafting. Pears are widely grown in
Europe where over 5,000 varieties are known.
France is the leading producer.
The United States produces about 25 percent of the world crop with
Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand also having significant
acreage. Pears are harvested before
they are entirely ripe. Chinese pear, also known as Sand
Pear, Pyrus pyrifolia var. culta, is the source of many of the
varieties grown in North America for cooking purposes and storage. This Chinese native produces flowers just
before the leaves. The large fruit
has a deciduous calyx and a very gritty, hard flesh with excellent storage
qualities. It is frequently used in
hybrids and grafting with the common pear. Medlar, Mespilus germanica, is a small tree with
branches that spread at right angles.
It is indigenous to Europe were several varieties are cultivated. The fruit is brown and apple-shaped with a
harsh flesh and acid flavor. It is
used more for jellies and jams rather than eaten fresh. Quince, Cydonia oblonga, was cultivated in
ancient times. It was highly prized
by the Romans. It is indigenous to Western
Asia from Iran to Turkestan and may still be found in the wild. There have been very little changes made
to the cultivated plant. It is a
small tree of 15-20 feet in height with many crooked branches. The large fruit is round or
pear-shaped. The leaves are densely
tomentose beneath and the fruit is wooly when young. The golden flesh is hard and quite
unpalatable. The seeds have a
mucilaginous covering and are of value in medicine. The fruit is usually used for jelly and marmalade, often mixed
with pears and apples. It is also
canned. These are drupes with fleshy fruits and a single seed
enclosed in the hard inner portion of the ripened ovary wall. Three sections in the fruit are: the outer skin or epicarp, the fleshy
edible mesocarp and the stone or endocarp that contains the seed. Most of the drupes of temperate regions
belong to the genus Prunus.
They are all trees and shrubs that often exude a natural gum. The bark, leaves and seeds contain a
glucoside, Amygdalin that is readily converted to prussic acid and may
cause poisoning. Apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is native to Asia
where it still grows in the wild state.
It was cultivated in China as early as 2,000 B.C. and soon reached
India, Egypt, Persia and Armenia. It
was introduced into Europe in the First Century. This is a small tree 20-30 ft. in height with pink flowers
produced before the leaves. The fruit
is peach like in color and shape and is velvety when young with a
yellowish-orange flesh. The stone is
smooth and flattened. The apricot is
susceptible to frost and is grown only in warmer temperate climates,
principally in China, Japan, Turkey, Northern Africa and warmer parts of
North America. It does not respond
well to pruning. Apricots are eaten
fresh or as dried, frozen, canned, candied and when made into a paste. A substitute for almond oil is extracted
from the seeds. Cherries are trees with birch like
bark, white or pinkish flowers that are produced in clusters, and small,
smooth, long-stemmed fruits with a round smooth stone. They are indigenous to Eurasia and were
cultivated in ancient times. There
are over 1,200 varieties that have been in cultivation and these belong to
two distinct species. The fruits of
the native American cherries are of little commercial value. Cherries are mused as table
fruits, in pies, for glacé fruits and in canning. In the last case they are often bleached in fumes of sulfur and
treated with brine and sodium sulfite to harden the flesh. Cherry brandy and marashino are distilled
from cherry juice. The juice is also
used for cherry cider, jelly and syrup.
A fixed oil is obtained from fresh seeds. Cherries are extensively grown in
temperate regions and are especially important in Europe. Several species of Japanese Flowering Cherry, mainly Prunus
serrulata, are cultivated for ornamental purposes. Prunus avium is a tall long-lived tree with
yellow or greenish fruit. It has a
restricted range in North America and is grown only in areas with an equable
climate, such as New York, the Lake States and the Pacific Coast. There are over 600 varieties in cultivation. They are used mainly for their fresh
fruit. Prunus cerasus is a smaller tree with a heavy
wood and red fruits. The main growing
areas in North America are New York, Wisconsin and Michigan. They are used primarily for canning
purposes and freezing. Over 300
varieties are grown. Peach, Prunus persica, is of great importance in
North America. The tree is indigenous
to China where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Many varieties have been developed there
and legends have been associated with the fruit. The peach reached the Mediterranean region very early in
history and the Romans grew at least six varieties. It reached North America with the earliest colonists. It is now cultivated in most temperate
climates of the world, especially in Southern Europe, The United States,
South Africa, Japan and Australia.
There are over 3,000 varieties grown, few of which reach commercial
status. The tree is low, rather short-lived and susceptible to
frost injury and low temperatures.
The attractive pink flowers are produced before the leaves. The round fruits have a velvety skin and a
compressed, pitted or furrowed stone.
The plant does best in a sandy soil.
Commercial orchards are usually near large bodies of water. Peaches are eaten fresh or canned. A considerable quantity is also dried or
frozen. Fixed and volatile oils,
similar to almond oils, are obtained from the seeds. Peach stone charcoal ahs been used as a
filter for gas masks. Prunus persica var. nectarina is a variety of
peach. It has a smooth skin and is
somewhat smaller. The principal
growing areas are California and Texas. Plums are small trees or shrubs
with white flowers and large, smooth, clustered fruits with a bloom. The smooth stones are flattened. Commercial plums in North America are
derived from three main sources:
European plums, native America species and Japanese species. There is a great diversity in climatic
requirements among the three. Plums
are used in a variety of ways, such as fresh fruit, canning, cooking and
jams. They are picked when mature but
not completely ripe if they are to be eaten fresh. For canning and jams they are allowed to ripen longer and for
prunes they are fully ripe.
California and Michigan have led the production in North America. Prunus domestica is indigenous to Eurasia where
it still grows in the wild. It has
been cultivated since before 100 B.C.
The Lake Dwellers of Switzerland and the Romans and Greeks knew
it. It is the best known and most
widespread of all the plums. It was
transported to America by the early colonists and is now grown on the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in the lake States. It is a large tree, 30-40 ft. in height, with variously colored
fruits. There are over 950 varieties,
especially in Europe. Included are
the green gages, egg plums and prunes.
Prunus insititia, a smaller and hardier plum, has also been
grown as long and occurs wild in Europe and Asia. Varieties include the Damson and Bullace Plums. The sloe, P. spinosa, is another
plum used in Europe for making liquors. The several American plums were derived from indigenous
species in recent times. They are
hardy and are grown in the Mississippi Valley and in the South where European
types do not thrive. Several species
are Prunus americana, P. hortulana and P. nigra. The fruits of the last two species are
small and not very palatable but are used in preserves and marmalades. The beach plum, Prunus maritima that grows in
sandy soil from southern Maine to Virginia, is used to make an excellent
preserve and could eventually become of greater commercial importance. Prunus salicina and other species from Japan
were introduced into California at the end of the 19th Century. Luther Burbank and other plant breeders developed
over 100 new varieties and hybrids.
These plums are a much wider range of cultivation than any other
type. These are really plums with high
sugar content. Large fruits of
European varieties are picked and the skin is ruptured. They are then dried either by artificial
hear or in the sun, after which they are allowed to “sweat” for several
weeks. They are finally graded and
“glossed.” The latter process
consists of heating in steam or salted boiling water, glycerin, or fruit
juice. It gives a glossy appearance
to the surface and also sterilizes the skin.
The prune industry is especially important in western California and
Oregon. Gourd fruits are trailing tendril-bearing herbs, often
of a very large size. The fruit is a Pepo, a modified berry with a hard and firm rind. They include several edible forms such as
squash, pumpkin and cucumber, the melons and watermelons and the ornamental
gourds. The melon, Cucumis melo, is believed to have
originated as a wild plant in Southern Asia.
It is ancient and was known to the Egyptians and Romans. The melon reached Europe in the 17th
Century. It is now cultivated in most
warm temperate climates. Several
different kinds of melons are grown. The Netted or Nutmeg
Melon is the type grown in greatest quantity in North America. It is also known as Muskmelon
and erroneously Canteloupe. This melon has a soft rind and netted
markings on the surface. There are
many varieties. The true cantaloupe
is a European melon that is not grown in North America. It has a hard warty rind and dark yellow
flesh. The winter melons, such as the
Casaba and Honeydew,
are larger, smoother and more spherical types. They require a longer season but hold up well in storage. Melons grow best
in fertile soil and in a long growing season, with a high temperature and
abundant moisture and sunlight.
Muskmelons are almost ripened on the vines because this increases the
sweetness and flavor. The winter
melons are ripened in storage. In
North America, California, Arizona and Colorado lead the production. Citrullus vulgaris is indigenous in tropical
Africa where native people have used it since ancient times. It was cultivated for centuries, reaching
Egypt and India very early in history, as indicated by its Sanskrit name and
appearing in Egyptian paintings.
Watermelon is an annual plant with extensive vines that may cover a
whole field and large fruits that may weight over 50 lbs. The reddish or pink pulp is very sweet and
juicy with white or black seeds. The
varieties differ in the shape of the fruit, its color and the thickness of
the rind. The plant requires a
fertile sandy soil with abundant sunshine.
The fruits are picked when fully ripe and resist damage in shipment. A variety, Citrullus vulgaris citroides, with a
white, more solid flesh is called the Citron Melon or
preserving melon. It is used in jams,
jellies and preserves. Because of its
high pectin content it is added to fruit juices that do not jell readily. By the 21st Century seedless watermelons arrived on the
market, but these do not have as desirable flavor as those that bear seeds. Grapes are technically berries,
but their importance warrants special discussion. They grow wild in many temperate portions of America, Europe,
Asia and Africa. Birds are known to
have distributed them very widely.
Modern cultivated grapes have been derived from European and American
species. They are grown in home
gardens over most of America. In the
United States California leads the production with over 90 percent of the
crop.
Vitis vinifera is
one of the oldest of all cultivated plants.
It is believed to have originated in the Caspian Sea region of Western
Asia. Grapes are often mentioned in
the Bible. They have been grown in
Egypt before 4,000 B.C. and were highly developed by the Greeks and
Romans. They were spread all over
Europe with the Roman civilization and now are found in all temperate
regions. The grape is a woody, climbing, tendril-bearing vine
with large palmate leaves; small, insignificant sweet-smelling flowers; and
large clusters of fruits. The
European species has ellipsoidal fruits with a solid flesh, high sugar
content and a relatively thin skin that does not slip off the flesh readily. In nature the vines grow rapidly and each
a considerable length, but in cultivation they are pruned back until they are
short stout stumps, 3-4 ft. in length.
Grapes prefer a loose, well-drained soil and hillsides are often
used. Cuttings often propagate
them. The European grape is the
source of most of the wine grapes. It
is common all over Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region. This species is very susceptible to
various fungi and insect pests, particularly the root louse, Phylloxera. At one time this insect threatened the
entire grape industry. American
grapes are not as susceptible and they are now used as rootstocks on to which
the European varieties are grafted. Lord
Baltimore introduced Vitis vinifera into North America as early as 1616
but it did not thrive. Despite many
attempts it has never produced high quality wine in the eastern part of the
continent. This is due probably to
its susceptibility to cold and pests.
West of the Rocky Mountains the growing of European grapes has become
one of the main industries, especially in California. This species is used for wine, raisins,
and as a table grape. The
introduction of the Sharpshooter leafhopper into California in the latter
part of the 20th Century has had a devastating effect on the grape industry
there because the insect vectors a bacterial disease that kills the
vines. Special care must now be taken
to eliminate breeding reservoirs for this insect near the vineyards. Native American grapes that have been domesticated and
many horticultural varieties of these are grown in Eastern North
America. Hybrids between these native
species and the wine grape also exist.
The northern Fox Grape, Vitis labrusca, of eastern North
America has given rise to the greatest number, including such well-known
types as the Concord, Catawba, Delaware and Niagara that are grown primarily
in the Great Lakes region. The Muscadine Grape, V. rotundifolia, has
given rise to the Scuppernong, a long-lived,
vigorous variety extensively grown in the Atlantic and Gulf States. Vitis vulpina and V. aestivalis
are also cultivated. American grapes are larger and hardier than the
European species. The fruit is round
with a more watery flesh and a thin skin that slips off very easily. Their flavor is much more pronounced. They are consumed fresh and for making
grape juice, jams, jellies and wine.
The wild types are especially flavorful and excellent for making
jelly. Grapes are the source of raisins and the dried currants
of commerce. Raisins are dried grapes
prepared from wine grapes with a high sugar content and firm flesh. Both seeded and seedless varieties are
marketed. The best quality is used
for table raisins that are merely dried in the sun. Cooking raisins are prepared from poorer grades and treated
with lye and sulfur before drying.
Their cost is also more than the sun dried types. California leads the production of raisins
in North America. These are small dried grapes
prepared from a variety that grows in Greece. It is a very old type, dating to 75 A.D. Currant growing has always been an
important industry in Greece. The term “berry” has been used in different ways. Technically a berry is a thin-skinned
one-celled fleshy fruit with seeds scattered through the flesh. According to this definition the tomato,
grape, eggplant and many other fruits are berries, while such fruits as the
strawberry, raspberry and blackberry are not berries but rather aggregate
compound fruits (Hill 1952). For the
present the term will be used to include the common bush fruits, or berries,
of cultivation and the mulberry. In
almost all of these fruits wild plants serve as an important source of the
crop, although domesticated forms are developed. Blackberries and raspberries belong to the genus Rubus
that includes many species and a vast number of hybrids. These are erect, decumbent or creeping shrubs, usually
armed with prickles and thorns. The
erect “canes” die down to the ground every few years and are renewed from the
rootstalks. The velvety black fruits
are aggregate fruits that consist of numerous ovaries of the flower ripened
into small drupelets. When picked the
fruit does not separate from the somewhat fleshy receptacle. Blackberries can be grown anywhere except
in regions with severe winters or extreme heat or drought. The blackberry is almost entirely an
American fruit with large wild stands growing in high rainfall areas of
southern Chile and northwestern North America. The cultivated forms have been derived mainly from Rubus
alleghaniensis, R. argutus and R. frondosus. Trailing species are known as Dewberries that include R. flagellaris, R.
trivialis and R. vitifolius.
Blackberries are used fresh and for jams, cordials, preserves and
canning. Rubus loganobaccus that originated in California
has very large fruits with less flavor than blackberry. It is grown for canning. The loganberry is usually considered to be
a hybrid between a blackberry and a raspberry, but it may be a distinct
species or a variety of R. ursinus.
It principal use is for juice. These are smaller shrubs, usually with vigorous, erect
bushy habit. The are small plants
less than one foot tall at higher latitudes.
They have small bristles or prickles.
The aggregate fruit separates form the receptacle when ripe leaving a
cavity on one side. Black raspberries
are derived from Rubus occidentalis of eastern North America while the
red raspberries come from R. idaeus of Europe or its American var.
strigosus. The European species
has been cultivated since ancient times and was highly prized by the Greeks
and Romans. Raspberries are
especially hardy and can be grown as far north as Alaska and northern
Canada. They are used fresh or cooked
and in jams, jellies, vinegar and as a flavoring. Large quantities are canned and frozen. Blueberries and
Huckleberries <Photos> The greatest source of blueberries and huckleberries is
from wild plants grown especially in northeastern North America. The plants are low ericaceous shrubs,
common on acid soil throughout eastern North America. In the huckleberry the fruit is a
berrylike drupe, while in the blueberry it is a true berry. Huckleberries occur primarily in the wild
state, with Gaylussacia baccata being the principal species. Blueberries are cultivated in many areas
on sandy or clayey acid soil and give a much greater increase in size and
yield over the wild fruit. In the
blueberry barrens of Maine and adjacent New Brunswick the plants are so
abundant in the sterile acid soil that they can be subjected to a kind of
cultivation. Yields are maintained by
burning the area. Often the berries
are so numerous that they can be harvested with a cranberry rake. Blueberries are eaten fresh or cooked,
chiefly in pies, and large quantities are canned and frozen. Huckleberries are distinctive in being
especially flavorful in pies although they contain comparatively larger
pits. The principal eastern low-bush
species are Vaccinium myrtilloides, V. angustifolium and V.
vacillans; the high-bush species of greatest importance include V.
atrococcum and V. corymbosum. Valuable western species include V. ovatum and V.
membranaceum. Cranberries are low trailing woody plants typically
found in bogs and wet acid soil throughout Northeastern North America and
Northern Europe. The fruit is a true
berry. The American cranberry, Vaccinium
macrocarpon, has been cultivated since 1840. It is grown in acid sandy or soil or peat bogs that can be
flooded during the winter and spring.
The berries are harvested with machinery today, but earlier were raked
from the fields. The cranberry
industry in the United States is of great importance in Wisconsin and
Massachusetts and New Jersey. Most of
the crop is canned or made into a beverage.
Wild plants of V. macrocarpon and a smaller V. oxycococcus
furnish some fruit for local consumption.
A small highland or mountain cranberry (the Lingonberry),
V. vitis-idaea, is more firm and spicy and is grown in Scandinavian
countries. The closely related
American species, V. vitis-idaea var. minus, is boreal and grows in
arctic or alpine areas. Currants and Gooseberries <Photos> These berries are usually classified in the genus Ribes,
although the gooseberries are sometimes placed in the genus Grossularia. They are low, hardy, bushy plants and are
well adapted to cold climates. The
currants are usually smooth with the flowers and fruits in racemes. In gooseberries the stem is usually armed
with spines or prickles and the flowers and fruits are solitary. Currants are indigenous in both the New and Old Worlds
The common red and white currants, Ribes sativum, are natives of
Eurasia. They were grown in Europe
during the Middle Ages and were early brought to America where they have
become naturalized in many areas.
Several varieties are grown, mainly for domestic use. The plants easily suffer from
neglect. They attain their best
development in cool humid regions.
The European black currant, Ribes. nigrum, also a native of
Eurasia, is not widely grown outside Europe.
There are several wild species in America with edible fruit, the most
important of which is R. americanum.
Currants are used primarily for jellies, jams, sauces, pies and
wine. Amerindians used them as fresh
fruit and additions to other foods, especially meat. The European Gooseberry, Ribes grossularia, is
grown in the cooler parts of both Europe and America. The tart round fruits may be red, yellow,
green or white and hairy or smooth, according to the variety. The most important native American species
is Ribes hirtellum. Not a true berry, mulberry is a
multiple accessory fruit derived from a whole inflorescence. The actual fruits are little achenes that
are surrounded by the fleshy sepals and grouped together with the fleshy axis
to form the so-called syncarp.
Mulberries are indigenous in both Asia and America. The fruits are very juicy but do not have
pronounced flavor. They are often fed
to livestock. The black mulberry, Morus nigra, is an
ornamental tree 40-60 ft. in height and native to Asia Minor and Persia. It has been cultivated since ancient
times. Mulberries are frequently
mentioned in the Bible and the tree was familiar to the Greeks and Romans. It reached Europe in the 12th Century and
is now naturalized in both Europe and America where it is planted mostly in
the warmer areas. The fruit is black
or dark red and is used as a dessert. The fed mulberry, Morus rubra, is the largest of
the genus and is native to eastern North America. The bright red or blackish fruits are mostly fed to livestock. The wood has some value. The white mulberry, Morus alba, with white or
pinkish fruits, is a small tree that is less hardy than the other
species. It is native to Asia and was
introduced into both Europe and America for its leaves that serve as food for
the silkworm. The fruits are of
little value. In Europe the wood is
used and a yellow dye is obtained from the roots. The strawberry is an important small fruit in most
temperate climates. However, it is
very perishable. It is not a berry
but an aggregate accessory fruit, consisting of a number of small dry achenes
embedded on the surface of a large fleshy receptacle. The strawberry is a low perennial herb
with a very short thick stem and trifoliate leaves. It produces numerous runners that root at the tip and are used
to propagate the plant. They have
been grown in Europe since the 14th Century and in America since colonial
days. They require only good soil, a
temperate climate and lots of sunshine.
In the United States their cultivation has been of commercial
importance since 1860. Harvesting
begins in the South in the winter and progresses northward with the advancing
season until summer when they fruit in the more northern areas. There are three main sources of cultivated
strawberries of which there are hundreds of varieties. The native plant of Eastern North America,
Fragaria virginiana, was grown by the early settlers and taken by them
to Europe where it has been cultivated since the 17th Century. The European Fragaria vesca, is the
source of the ever-bearing types.
However, the majority of the cultivated forms are derived from Fragaria
chiloensis, native to Western America from Chile northward to the
mountains of Mexico. This species is
less hardy than the others, but the fruits are especially large and
flavorful. Strawberries are used
primarily as a dessert, but they are also canned, frozen and used in jams and
preserves and as a flavoring. ==================================================================== |
|
|