Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Mystery fruit from Northern California

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Doagie

unread,
Oct 19, 2009, 1:43:01 AM10/19/09
to
Hi all,

I've got this weird fruit that I found in the Menlo Park, CA, area. I
found it on some tree growing and ate some of them, people told me
they were harmless (but don't know what the name is). They're fairly
small, have a semi-hard spiky outside that one can bite through to get
to the soft, sweet, yellow inner flesh. Any ideas? I've attached some
pictures. Sorry the one with the bowl is discolored.

Pics: http://img197.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=pic0028z.jpg

Thanks!

sherwin dubren

unread,
Oct 19, 2009, 1:52:07 AM10/19/09
to

Lychee nuts, I think. Normally native to Asia, but also found in
Mexico. Don't know how they got up to your area.

Sherwin

Doagie

unread,
Oct 19, 2009, 11:42:45 PM10/19/09
to

That was my first impression. However, it is not a lychee (the skin
doesn't separate from the inner fruit, and there is no hard nut).
Also, the taste is very different from that of a lychee and the inner
flesh is textured more like that of an overripe peach. The color is
yellow, also like a peach, unlike the white lychee.

Any thoughts?

Freckles

unread,
Oct 20, 2009, 12:55:30 AM10/20/09
to

"Doagie" <doa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:d955133f-c698-42b3...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com...

They look something like Ugli fruit, a citric fruit from Jamaica.

Freckles


brooklyn1

unread,
Oct 20, 2009, 12:17:47 PM10/20/09
to
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:55:30 -0500, "Freckles" <frec...@tx.rr.com>
wrote:

I don't think so:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugli_fruit

The photos are not very clear (cheapo cell phone camera?), looks more
like a variety of sapote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamey_sapote

mleblanca

unread,
Oct 20, 2009, 8:22:25 PM10/20/09
to

They look like Strawberry Tree, Arbutus unedo. Taste is quite
variable:
some are pretty good, others are bland and tasteless.

Emilie
NorCal

Golden One

unread,
Oct 22, 2009, 11:46:17 PM10/22/09
to

Arbutus Unedo, Irish Strawberry Tree.

JB

JRStern

unread,
Oct 24, 2009, 3:21:07 PM10/24/09
to

I think I've got one down in Long Beach, CA 90807, didn't know the
fruit was edible! BTW, my tree is apparently huge for the type, must
be 30 feet by 30 feet. Not sure how old it is, probably 20+ years.

J.

Doagie

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 7:31:02 PM10/26/09
to

Indeed, it is the Arbutus Unedo. Thanks to mleblanca and Golden One
for solving the case!

Golden One

unread,
Nov 15, 2009, 11:37:38 PM11/15/09
to

They regularly grow 5 - 10 metres and rarely up to 15 metres. The
trees that I have seen were large mature trees, lining the driveway of
a heritage listed old farm in Albany, Western Australia. At a guess
they are probably +100 years old.

JB

>
> J.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

0 new messages