The Jaboticaba has a great crop on it here at Wharepuke at the moment.
The fruit cover the trunks and branches. The fruit are delicious but don’t last when picked and are best eaten fresh while standing next to the tree.
It has thick grape-like skin which has a lot of the flavour just near the surface but the skin itself most people spit out when you’ve got all the juicyness
The fruit can be used to make jellies, juice or wine
Apparently the skin can be used as a treatment for hemoptysis, asthma, diarrhoea, and gargled for chronic inflammation of the tonsils. Several potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory anti-cancer compounds have been isolated from the fruit.
The Red Pineapple here in the gardens at Wharepuke in Kerikeri NZ are maturing but still have a way to go. They have a good crop this year.
Red Pineapple are part of the Bromeliad family.
A pineapple is formed when the many flowers form a cluster of fruitlets which enlarge and mature forming a single pineapple with a fibrous stem running through the middle. The skin is tough and waxy, red in colour. When ripe the flesh is sweet and juicy, pink-yellow. The fruit weigh about one kilo each.
Pineapple fruits are formed without pollination
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Wharepuke Subtropical Gardens are free to wander and are open 7 days
The Strawberry Fig from New Guinea is next to Cottage 4 here at Wharepuke in Kerikeri. It is fruiting abundantly this year.
Unfortunately not edible her in NZ as we don’t have the particular wasp with the right particular shaped “bit” needed for pollination but next time you are in New Guinea try one as they are meant to be delicious!
The Kereru, the NZ Native Wood Pigeons are very passive here in our gardens at Wharepuke in Kerikeri. Its amazing how close you can get to these wild birds. Puffed up on a cold day after eating lots of new Mulberry leaves.
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Our guests here at our Kerikeri Accommodation love them!
Some of the vast array of colours, textures and shapes of flowers here at Wharepuke in Kerikeri. Always something to see not matter what time of the year….and its free to wander!
