A first for us, anyway. We planted a hackberry tree in our yard several years ago. This year it's producing fruit (which we didn't even know it would do). I did a little researching on them, and I found that this is the way they normally grow, just individual berries scattered around like this.
(Click any photo to enlarge.)
They turn red when ripe, and they're edible, although they contain a rather large seed. They can be used for baking, jellies or wine if you grind the seeds along with the berries. However, considering the small number of them, I doubt I'll be doing any of that. I might taste one, though... supposedly they taste like the "outside shell on an M&M". Too bad the inside isn't chocolate! ;-)
3 comments:
Huh, intriguing.
We have a hackberry tree too. Just at the South West corner of the garden. It has been there more than ten years and we have yet to see fruit on the tree. How old is your tree? Maybe ours is too young to be fruiting. Ya, I agree with you ,looks like a big job to pick enough to make anything muchout of them. And how do we turn the big seed into CHOCOLATE? That would be terrific. I LOVE Chocolate. I'm gonna check our that tree tomorrow. Maybe I have not looked close enough.
We don't remember exactly how old our tree is, but thinking maybe around 10 years. Yep, you'd better go check yours out. It's not like the berries are very noticeable, unless you're right under the tree looking up. :-) But I guess they'd show up better after they turn red. I also read that the berries hang on the tree after the leaves drop, and the birds eat them during the winter.
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