Well, I have dug around and discovered the name. It's called Loquat. It's a fruit tree that originated in southeast China, and became naturalized in India, the Middle East and a bunch of other places. The name we use comes from the Indian, "Akki - Dunya" which means "whole world." It's grown a lot in the U.S. However, like many of their strange street tree planting habits, these fruit trees are grown for ornamental purposes. I remember seeing olive and other fruit trees on the streets, and looking at all the olives and oranges, and other fruits all fallen on the ground and thinking two things: "What a waste!" and "What a mess!"
Digression aside, apparently Loquat fruit can have a mild but noticeable sedative effect when eaten in quantities. I did have quite a few today and they were yummy! I felt a bit groggy a while later and took a nap (which I haven't done or needed in a long time). Now that I know this, I'll probably have a few more tonight before bed for a good night's sleep.
I've also decide to grow a few from seed. People don't recommend growing most fruits from seed as the seed is not true to the fruit. This means a delicious apple or loquat will not necessarily produce a tree that will give you the same delicious fruit. They generally propagate fruit trees by grafting. I don't care about any of that. I've had many a delicious loquat and apple from trees grown in gardens where someone threw some seeds in the ground and watered the tree until it started bearing fruit.
So, I'm about to do the same. Only in a pot.
Did I mention Bonsai? So I got a book about that and came up with the following theory. Most people who grow trees in containers, keep the tree small by stunting its root growth in a too small container. I figured, why not use bonsai methods of pruning and root trimming to grow the tree into what aesthetically pleasing shape and size you want. You could have a small tree-like looking tree in a container, rather than a stunted sapling-like looking tree. So now I have placed many ambitious seeds in several pots and await green peeking out of the ground. I've sown chestnut, date (won't palm bonsais look awesome? I can already see my miniature oasis), tangerine, lemon, mango, and (tomorrow) loquat.
I'm also growing some bean bushes, and basil seedlings are shooting up all over our dining room's window box (those are gonna make some great pesto). M tomatoes are flowering. They grew fast and like crazy thanks to some really great smelly organic bag of compost I found at the store. I'll post a blog with a lot of pictures when they bear fruit. I've also successfully sprouted several flowers, and doing my best not to kill them (Flowers are tricky). Strong hot desert wind from Egypt is not helping.
I'm now thinking about what to grow for a winter vegetable garden. I want the small winter gourds (no idea where to get the seeds, unless I can get my hands on some imported fruit at the grocery store). Also radishes, maybe some carrots or lettuce. Remember that sow thistle I talked about before and which I'd removed because of an aphid infestation. Well it didn't go before it blew hundreds of little seeds everywhere. So now I've got sow thistle seedlings everywhere and growing fast too! Since the whole plant is edible, I'm indulging them and letting grow to a suitable size. I tried a bite out of a leaf last time, tasted a little like arugula. I'll be harvesting them and making a wild sow thistle salad, with a little feta cheese, olive oil and vinegar.
I need to find vegetable seeds though, which is much harder now that BHV (which had a really great garden center) has been replaced by the inferior TSC, which has a couple of pots and half a dozen flower seed options.
There's to be a Gardening Trade Show in the Beirut Hippodrome next month. With floral arrangements, plants for sale, cultural and local food, garden supplies for both amateur and professional gardeners, and other events. I think it'll be fun (I saw last year's pictures on some website!) Maybe I'll drag someone with me to go check it out.
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