What does the evergreen tree look like? Can its fruit be eaten? How to get the seed?

The hanging melon tree, a chandelier tree of the family Liriodendron, blossoms in spring and summer and is native to Africa. It likes light and warmth. It can be used as a landscape tree or a street tree. So, what does the evergreen tree look like? Can its fruit be eaten? How to get the seed?

What does the "evergreen tree" melon tree look like?

The height of the hanging melon tree is 10 to 15 meters, the height under the branch is about 2 meters, and the DBH is about 1 meter. Leaves odd-pinnate, alternate or whorled, rachis 7.5-15 cm long; leaflets 7-9, oblong or Obovate, apex acute, base cuneate, entire, smooth, bright green, abaxially light green, puberulent, subleathery, pinnately veined. Panicles borne at top of branchlets, inflorescence rachis pendulous, 50-100 cm long; flowers sparse, 6-10-flowered.

Second, can its fruit be eaten?

The fruit of the melon tree is candle-shaped, the outer skin is woody and does not crack. The shape of the fruit is huge, weighing up to 1.5 kilograms, hanging branches, not falling for a long time, so it is called "hanging melon". The fruit viewing period is long, and the fruit can be seen from October to February to March of the following year. A big tree with high yield has an annual output of 80,150 fresh fruits. Unfortunately, its fruit has so much woody fiber that it can not be eaten.

Third, how to get seeds from hanging melon trees?

The propagation of hanging claw tree can be carried out by sowing, cutting, striping and so on. When sowing and propagating, the ripe fruit is generally knocked open from October to November, the seeds are taken out to dry, and the seeds are sowed from March to April the following year. Before sowing, the seeds can be soaked and germinated, and they can sprout 10 to 15 days after germination. However, because the fruit is hard and the pulp is highly fibrotic, it is difficult to take out the seed manually. It can be soaked in water to make it rot naturally, and then sow directly after slightly drying. The seedlings can be planted after 2 to 3 years.

The cuttage of hanging melon tree should be carried out in the peak growing season from April to May. Generally, the survival rate of 1-2-year-old softwood cuttings is higher.

The high-altitude striping is used in the striping propagation of hanging melon trees. After pressing, it usually takes 2 to 3 months to take root, and then cut off and transplant the following spring.