FRUIT TREES in “The Shambles’ 2020
Key for historic reference notations to Plant entries:
“Catalogue of the Plants in the Queensland Botanic Gardens”. Walter Hill, Government Printer, Brisbane 1875. 1. 1875
“Catalogue of Plants in the two Metropolitan Gardens, The Brisbane Botanic Garden and Bowen Park (The Garden of the Queensland Acclimatization Society). Frederick Manson Bailey, Colonial Botonist, Government Printer, Brisbane 1885 1A. 1885
“Designed Landscapes in Queensland, 1859-1939”, Jean Sim, QUT, 1999, APPENDIX G, referred to the following plant lists:
“The Flower garden in Queensland, containing concise and practical instructions for the Cultivation of the flower garden. And the management of Pot Plants in Australia”, Albert Hockings, Slater & Co, Brisbane, 1875 2. 1875
“Cultural Industries in Queensland: Papers on the Cultivation of Useful Plants suited to the climate of Queensland:their value as food, in the arts, and in medicine; and methods of Obtaining their products” Lewis Bernays, Government printer, Brisbane , 1883, (pp 201-207, The Shade of trees) 3. 1883
“Tree Planting for Shade and Ornament: Suggestions for teachers and others interested in the Planting of Trees” Edward Shelton, Dept of Agriculture, Government Printer, Brisbane, Bulletin 17, 1892
List: Philip McMahon, Brisbane Botanic gardens Curator 4a. 1892
Ebenezer Cowley, Overseer, State Nursery, Kamerunga4b. 1892
J S Edgar , Botanic gardens , Rockhampton 4c. 1892
William Soutter, Manager , Acclimatization society 4d. 1892
“General Catalogue of Seeds, Plants, bulbs, Tubers, trees, Climbers, etc.” Samuel Eaves, Howard, printer, Brisbane, 1897 5. 1897
“Queenslander” under ‘Horticulture’ section ‘Shrubs’, William Soutter, 18/12/1897 pp 1181 6. 1897
“General descriptive Catalogue for 1874, of Fruit trees, Shrubs, Ornamental and forest trees, Etc. etc” Charles Wyatt, Frogmore Nursery, Geelong 1874 7. 1874
“1896 Catalogue of Flower roots”. Law, Somner & Co., Melbourne, 1896 8. 1896
“Catalogue of Plants for Sale by Michael Guilfoyle” Exotic Nursery, Double bay, Sydney 1851 9. 1851
“Catalogue of Plants for Sale at the Victoria Nursery, Richmond” George Brunning, Melbourne, 1855 10. 1855
“Report on the Progress and Condition of the Botanic Garden and Government Plantations, 1873”, R.Schomburgk, W.C.Cox: Government Printer, Adelaide, 1874 11. 1874
“Botanic Gardens, Brisbane, Catalogue of Plants 1962”, Brisbane city Council, Brisbane, 1962 12. 1962
“Federation Gardens: Plant lists, Compiled from Searl & Sons General Catalogue 1901, Seeds, Plants & Bulbs for Sydney; Pearce Bros.Descriptive Catalogue and Guide 1900; Robert Little & Co’s Catalogue of Flower seeds Sydney 1900: Rumsey’s 1882 Catalogue (Roses) Sydney 1882 www.heritage.nsw.gov.au 13. 1900/1
“Talgai Homestead, Plant Ledger, commenced in 1868-1907 by Ellen and George Clark. Additions after 1907-1942 George Carr Clark, 1945-1965 Bardwell” 14. 1868
www.hortuscamden.com ,Hortus camdenensis: an illustrated catalogue of plants collected by Sir William Macarthur at Camden Park, NSW, Australia between about c.1820 & 1861 / by Colin Mills 15. Camden
“The Garden Plants of China” Peter Valder, Florilegium, Sydney 1999 16. China
Carica papaya (paw paw) . Sweet fruit with yellow flesh in summer. These do not favour our acid soil but several trees are established. Introduced to Britain in 1690. Seed was sent to Camden Park in NSW from Tahiti by Bidwill probably in late 1845 Central and south America 1A.1885, 9.1851, 15.Camden South of Garage, NW corner
Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) old survivor of the original garden near garage, produces impossibly sour fruit. Removed on construction of our expande Fernery Rock Garden in 2012. West Indies? 7.1897 (under heading ‘oranges’ called Bahia) Orchid Walk
Citrus japonica syn. Fortunella japonica (Kumquat). Brought from China to Britain by Robert Fortune in 1846. Our potted specimens were grown from Cutting by Nicky at Woodford. Small edible orange coloured fruits China NW corner , border garden
Citrus latifolia (Tahitian Lime) The small to medium fruit is pale lemon-yellow with smooth thin skin. The flesh is a translucent pale green, tender and juicy with a true acid lime flavour. It is best to pick the fruit green as it can suffer from rot if left to ripen on the tree. SW corner
Citrus limon (lemon) Replacement specimen “Eureka” variety Dec 2017. Small specimen transplanted between the other manadarine mentioned below. As the name suggests the Lisbon Lemon is believed to have originated in Portugal. Reputedly introduced to Britain in 1648. Probably brought to Australia as seed in 1824 1A.1885, 15.Camden SW corner
Citrus reticulata (mandarine),”Emperor” Subject to pests and diseases. Too much shade in our garden prevents good fruiting. The so-called Mandarin orange said to have been introduced from China into England in 1805 by Mr. Barrow. Hybridisation between a rather small number of ancestral forms of cultivated citrus seems to have occurred millennia ago. Citrus sinensis (Sweet orange) was recorded in China from the 3rd Century BC, then spread to India, Ceylon and East Africa before the 15th Century and the age of European exploration. 1A.1885 (C.nobilis), 7.1897 (under heading ‘Oranges’ called Emperor Mandarin), 14.1868 (1869),15.Camden, 16.China North gardens facing PloughInn lost
Diospiyros kaki (persimmon) Shishu has been grown in China since the 2nd Century B.C. During the Tang Dynasty (618- 907 AD) Duan Chengshi in his “Youyang Zazu” described the Persimmon (Shishu) as having 7 virtues, namely 1. It lives for a long time, 2. It provides shade, 3. Birds do not nest in it, 4. It is resistant to worms, 5. Autumn leaves are enjoyable, 6. One can practice calligraphy on the fallen leaves, 7. It has edible fruit. Ours are deciduous, old cultivars with astringent fruit. Very attractive autumn foliage. 1.1875, 1A.1885 (5 species incl. D.kaki), 14.1868, 16.China West end next to Rainforest garden
Eriobotya japonica (loquat) Healthy attractive tree. May be invasive. North East Border garden
Eugenia uniflora syn. Stenocalyx uniflorus syn. Plinia pedunculata (Brazilian cherry) Edible astringent fruit but are principally ornamental and used for hedging. These plants resemble and are related to ‘lilly-pillys” Probably first cultivated in Britain in 1759 by Phillip Miller. 1A.1885, 4.1892 (Eugenia myrtifolia), 4c.1892 (Eugenia myrtifolia), 7. 1897 (Eugenia myrtifolia), 14.1868, 15.Camden East border=Embankment East of pool
Ficus carica (edible green fig) Popular domestic fruit tree, unfortunately our wet often shaded garden is not ideal. Deciduous. The fruit has been known in Western Europe since antiquity and believed to have been grown in Britain since before 1548. Probably in Camden Park NSW by 1836 7.1897 (18 varieties), 14.1868 (1873), 15.Camden North garden Facing Plough Inn
Fortunella japonica (kumquat tree) has an abundance of dark orange fruit that is delicious eaten fresh or used in marmalades and jams. They make very ornamental tub specimens Carl Peter Thunberg originally classified the kumquats as Citrus japonica in his 1784 book. In 1915, Walter T. Swingle reclassified them in a segregate genus, Fortunella, named in honor of Robert Fortune.
Olea europea ‘St Helena Olive’ possibly a frantolo variety. The Helena Olive will fruit in the South East Queensland climate. St.Helena Island is a heritage National Park off the coast of Brisbane, Australia. It was a high security prison from 1867 to the 1920’s and then a prison farm until it’s closure in 1932. The original olive tree was planted in the late 1800’s after being brought to the island from Spain by a visiting magistrate. Mediterranean South of car garage
Psidium littorale (guava). Principally an ornamental. 1.1875 (6 species), 1A 1885 North East Border garden
1885 Brisbane plant catalogue inclued Persea gratissima (Avocada Pear)
EDIBLE PLANTS.
In addition to our small range of Fruit trees and our Macadamia integrifolia we grow seasonal vegetables such as lettuce, silver beet, spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, squash and tomato in season. Various herbs are mentioned elsewhere below.
We have also grown the following from time to time, in season
Apium graveolens var. rapaceum Celeriac. Celeriac originating in the Mediterranean Basinis a variety of celery cultivated for its edible roots, hypocotyl, and shoots.
Musa sapientum In Australia, the name ‘Lady Finger banana’ refers to banana cultivar, the Pome banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana ). Lady Finger bananas can grow at a height of 25 ft (7.5 m). Its pseudostem is slender and streaked with reddish brown, but it has a heavy root system that makes it resistant to wind damage. It is resistant to drought and Black Weevil, but is susceptible to Sigatoka. It blooms during mid-summer, late summer, and early fall. It is monocarpic and is propagated asexually. The fruit is 4 to 5 inches (10-12.5 cm) in length, and light yellow. The skin is thin and the flesh is sweet. 12 to 20 fingers are borne in each hand, with each bunch typically having 10 to 14 hands. Bananas are heavy feeders and as the plant grows apply garden lime and complete fertiliser every six weeks to the soil surface above the roots. At maturity they flower and the first part of the flower to open is male, called the bell. Then the spirally arranged female flowers come out and develop into fruit. Remove dead leaves regularly. In the 1880s, Chinese workers from the goldfields established banana plantations in the Queensland tropics around Cooktown, Port Douglas, Cairns, Innisfail and Tully. In the 1890s, plantations were started in the Coffs Harbour area of New South Wales and around Mullumbimby. SW Corner behind car garage
Peas, Snap Peas
Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato)
Lycopersicon lycopersicum (cherry tomato) 1A.1885
Phaseolus lunatus (Madagascar bean)
Sechium edule (Choko)
Manihot esculenta (Casava)
Monstera deliciosa 13.1900/1
Capsicum frutescens (shrubby capsicum) 1A.1885
Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla (Rainbow chard)
Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia (Cos or Romaine lettuce)
Borago officinalis (Borage)
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
Brassica oleacea var.sabellica (Kale)
Cucurbita pepo (Zucchini)
Petroselinum crispum (Parsley) small and large leaf varieties.
Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacon or Peruvian Ground Apple)