Litchi Tomato, or Morelle de Balbis, has been grown in small gardens for at least 200 years, and with it's becoming increasingly popular with renewed interest in heirloom gardening. Its Latin name is Solanum sisymbriifolium, which puts it in the nightshade family along with tomatoes and eggplant. Solanum sisymbriifolium is commonly known as vila-vila, sticky nightshade, red buffalo-bur, the fire-and-ice plant, litchi tomato, or Morelle de Balbis.. The small edible fruits are red on the outside and yellow inside. It grows inside a spiny, green husk. The fruit is ripe when it is easily removed from the stem.
Les légumes oubliés à planter au potager
Morelle is the French word for nightshade and Balbis refers to the region of its discovery. This South American species is a member of the nightshade family of plants just as tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. The umbrella genus is Solanum and there are varieties that are poisonous if ingested. Litchi tomato and thorny tomato plants are other. Litchi Tomato or Morelle De Balbis. Litchi Tomato or Morelle De Balbis. $3.50. Add to cart. Description. The most intriguing garden berry we have ever seen, and with superb creamy and mild cherry flavor. A totally unique fruit, it is delightful to imagine litchi tomato into myriad culinary interpretations from mock cherry pies to chutneys and. Seeds per packet: ~30. Germination tested 12/2023: 79%. Life cycle: Annual. Vila-Vila is a South American tomato relative with sweet-sour fruit emerging from spiny husks on one of the prickliest plants you're evere likely to grow! Also called "litchi tomato" and "morelle de balbis," this plant is often grown as a trap crop for potato beetles. The Morelle de Balbis, or Litchi tomato, has been grown as an ornamental curiosity in American gardens since the 19th century, but only recently has it gained attention as a novel-tasting food.
Morelle de Balbis Litchi Tomato Solanum sisymbriifolium
It's called Morelle de Balbis, or less elegantly, the Litchi Tomato. A member of the Solanacea family, its proper name is Solanum Sisymbriifolium. I received the seeds of this beautiful plant from Sylvain, Alan Passard's head gardener, when I was fortunate enough to visit the chef's farm outside of Le Mans, France. S. sisymbriifolium is a tender perennial, grown as an annual, with very deeply-lobed leaves covered in sticky hairs; both stems and leaves are armed with red, spiny prickles. Large, white or pale blue flowers are produced in clusters all summer, followed by green, spiny fruit cases that split to reveal bright red fruit which are edible but insipid. Solanum sisymbriifolium goes by many names: litchi tomato, sticky nightshade, vila-vila, red buffalo-bur, Morelle de Balbis, and fire-and-ice plant.. It is native to tropical and warm temperate regions of South America where it grows like a weed. The litchi fruits have been an important food staple in indigenous cultures for hundreds of years. The Morelle de Balbis shrub is not standard fare at the local garden center or nursery. It is neither a litchi nor a tomato and quite hard to find in North America. Get to know what is a litchi tomato in this article.
Morelle de Balbis Litchi Tomato Solanum sisymbriifolium 20 Seeds
Berry Litchi tomatoes (S. sisymbriifolium), also known as Morelle de Balbis, aren't your ordinary garden variety of tomatoes, although they are in the same family. These 4 to 5 foot annual plants are covered with thorns and produce tiny fruits similar to cherry tomatoes. Reports liken the flavor to a cross between a tart cherry and a tomato. When I wrote about the Morelle de Balbis (Solanum sisymbrifolium) last it was on April 30, 2010 when the seedling was still living in the greenhouse. It had just begun to produce its thorns and I was beginning to get a glimpse into what I'd signed on for. It is now July 1 and the plant has been living outdoors in soil for just over a month or so.
La Morelle de Balbis est une plante annuelle aux formes très variables, mesurant jusqu'à 1,5 m de haut. La partie aérienne de la plante est recouverte de fines épines espacées (tiges et feuilles). Ses feuilles sont lancéolées et entièrement lobées. Inflorescence en cyme de cinq à dix fleurs, étamines jaunes saillantes.. Les fleurs d'un diamètre d'environ 5 cm sont blanches ou bleu. The Morelle de Balbis is a big hit. My last update was posted at the beginning of July and I think the plant has doubled in size since. It gets more interesting and beautiful by the day. Fruit is on the way! Back when I bought the seeds I hesitated. I knew it was going to be large, unruly and difficult to place.
Morelle de Balbis Conseil jardinage, Application en phytothérapie et Recette de cuisine
Here's the Litchi Tomato or Morelle De Balbis, Solanum sisymbriifolium. The small edible fruits are red on the outside and yellow inside. It grows inside a s. Les semis de morelle de Balbis s'effectuent au cours du mois de mars, au chaud (20°C), en godets ou en barquette (lire : Les semis à chaud ). Repiquez les plants semés en barquette, toujours au chaud, au stade de deux vraies feuilles. Pour les semis en godet, ne conservez que le plant le plus beau. La mise en terre aura lieu après les.
