If you like growing unusual fruit trees, you may want to consider growing a Japanese Raisin (Hovenia dulcis) tree.  The actual fruit produced by the tree is small (only about a ½ inch), hard, dry, brown and inedible.  But the tree produces a multitude of edible fruit peduncles that swell up and turn reddish brown when “ripe.”  Only measuring about a ¼ of an inch, their taste is often compared to a crunch raisin or a crunchy raisin with a pear like taste. The “raisin” can be snacked on fresh off the tree or dried for later consumption.  The trees produce a copious amount of “raisins.”

In South Korea, Japanese raisins are often incorporated into beverages and sold as a hangover cure.  The Japanese raisins contain dihydromyricetin, a compound that helps breakdown alcohol in the liver.  Although a few studies have been conducted on rats, the use of Japanese raisins as a hangover cure currently lacks sufficient human scientific studies regarding its effectiveness for this purpose.

Hardy down to USDA zone 6, the Japanese raisin tree is a self-fertile deciduous tree.  It grows from thirty to eighty feet tall. It grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade.  And although it grows in a wide variety of well-draining soils, it grows best in sandy loam.  It prefers a soil pH of 6.0 – 7.8.

Trees begin to blossom after three to four years, but it can take up to ten years for the tree to begin producing ripe peduncles, or “raisins.”

I took advantage of a sunny afternoon to get out in the backyard.  Everything was still quite soggy from the recent rains. There were several chores to accomplish.  The grapevine needed pruning.  I wanted to gather flowers to make some arrangements for the house.  There was also a call for frost that evening so I thought I'd better harvest the remaining tangerines off my small potted tree.  The last chore for late afternoon/ early evening would be to spread my assortment of old sheets over my succulents and citrus to protect them.

While I was puttering around it struck me just how wonderful it was to be able to garden, outside, in February.  The television reports of the last few weeks of the Midwest and East Coast suffering from horrendously cold storms that brought temperatures plunging far below zero had been mesmerizing.  It almost seemed surreal to be outdoors surrounded by greenery.

I also realized that 2019 would mark thirty years of living in this house.  I have enjoyed watching the landscape grow and evolve over the years, changing from a barren lot to a lush (okay, some would say, overgrown) environment.  As a child, I was a military brat, moving every three years or so. Being in one spot has allowed me the experience of watching a tree grow from a skinny sapling to a mature shade-giving beauty. Our yard now welcomes birds, squirrels, amphibians and insects.  A morning frequently starts with a squirrel floor show. An afternoon may include aerial demonstrations by dragonflies or hummingbirds. The garden and its inhabitants have brought so much pleasure into our lives.

Another joy of being out in the garden has been capturing that beauty with photography.  The advent of smartphones with their built-in, simple to use, but powerful cameras have allowed even novices like me to take a decent picture. I thought I would share some of my favorites from the yard and garden this last year.

Stapelia is a striking plant, but other-worldly in appearance.  This variety of eggplant demonstrates how the plant got its name.  Orchid Cactus is always stunning in bloom.  The brilliant color of iris makes up for their short bloom time.