Tuesday

Roxburgh Fig, and it's fruit season in Florida

Using this sunny day to it's full advantage had me walking.  
We have a park in the Tampa Bay area that has a section devoted to fruit trees and herbs and this day the fruit trees were blooming.  
Now I've seen fig trees but this one, the"Roxburgh Fig" was a bit odd.  Normally the fruit grows on the upper branches once the flowers fall off This tree was different. Notice the fruit is on the bottom trunk.  Look how big the fig was Some grew as large as a golf ball and a few were baseball size.  Now I'm a lover of figs and use ethem often in my breakfast shake and I'd love to taste one, but being the good person that I am  I respected the "Do not take the fruit" signs.  


  I have bananas growing in my back yard and mine produce maybe two large bunches but this tree has hundreds of small fruit bursting on the large stem.  Amazing!
I wonder how many of you have ever tasted a Loquat?
My mom made Loquat Jelly when I was young.. it's sweet and on the order of an orange (without pulp)  and a pear. I'm really not sure how else to describe it?  Eating it just off the tree is a bit too tangy for me but made into jelly is so good!
I also wanted to show you the grapefruit trees out in the back of my property.  It's been a while since I've walked out there and just noticed the trees are showing rather large Grapefruits.
 The only problem the trees have never been topped and are rather tall (it's more like a jungle out there) and I  just can't get to the tops to pick all the fruit so I'm afraid they will just fall and rot. Maybe I could convince the Mr. to take the ladder but then I don't think the 6' ladder is tall enough either?  Such a waist!
There is nothing more wonderful than organic fresh fruit right off the trees.  I'm still wanting to sample the "Roxburgh Fig".  Might just go back to the park and ask if they would mind my taking just one?
But tomorrow I will be having one of those wonderful grapefruits with honey for my breakfast.  
(yes, I did get three)

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Had to update my photos.. the above is this morning and I can't tell you how sweet and juicy this fruit is.  Wish I could share!

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 If you can, get out in the warm sunshine, go! 
 It's such a mood booster and clears the mind.

I'm linking to



19 comments:

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

How wonderful! I didn't realize you had these wonderful fruit trees at your disposal...I'd love to have a grapefruit tree or a banana tree. I'm not sure they'd grow in the region of Texas where I live. They would be more towards the south along the coast, I'd imagine.
I do have a Fig tree on my property. They are so wonderful. I'm not familiar with the fig tree you showed us. We only have one peach now and no plum. But we planted two apple trees and two grape vines last week. So hopefully, we'll replenish what has died off from disease, or storm damage.

Love seeing these trees, enjoy your breakfast!

Pat

Meredith @ The Laundry Can Wait said...

I'm so jealous you have a banana tree in your backyard. We have no such thing in Oklahoma. :)

XOXO,
Meredith

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I loved seeing these!! We just don't get those kinds of things up here in New England. I love figs

Anonymous said...

Fabulous photography and delicious fruits ~ wonderful post ^_^

thanks for coming by .

Anonymous said...

Fabulous photography and delicious fruits ~ wonderful post ^_^

thanks for coming by .

Pam Beers. said...

I love figs! Goreous pictures. Currently we have a really poopy Spring in upstate NY. It's colder than usual and everything looks bleak. Yuk!

Annesphamily said...

I love fresh fruit and would love to try one of those figs! What a terrific post! Really enjoyed it. Have a great week!

jeanne, backyard neighbor said...

Hi Sandy i grew up in Florida and the wonderful fruit was such a treat. I miss it here in the mountains. Love your pics and I wish you could share some fruit as well. Yum.

Jeanne xo

Eden House News and views said...

How lovely to learn about new fruit. Good post thank you

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I lived in So. Fla for a long time, I do miss all the wonderful citrus and fruit....

debra @ homespun said...

LOL and we had snow this morning

You just warmed me up / love this post :)

Tootsie said...

I am so jealous! I can't grow much for fruit trees...it's too cold here. right now I am desperately waiting to see anything other than snow!!!
My banana tree will never produce fruit...it isn't that type...and if it does live long enough here...that it does make some fruits, they are not edible.
I have shared this post with my facebook Tootsie Time page...
Thank you so much for linking in today! I hope you will again soon!
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

How wonderful to have all that fresh fruit growing your back yard. Lived in South Fl many years ago, and the only fruit tree I remember having was a kumquat. The grapefruit looks so good, but I can't indulge due to meds.
Thanks for stopping by. Probably a good thing that things are slow blooming here this year, as we have snow flurries later tonight turning into cold rain by morning. Crazy MidSouth weather.
Enjoy your evening.

HolleyGarden said...

Your grapefruit looks so good! How wonderful to have fruit trees right outdoors! The fig looks so interesting - to me, it almost looks like a fungus or little mushrooms growing on it. I hope you get to taste one!

deb said...

When we lived in Florida we had bananas coming out our ears! I made banana bread, banana shakes, you name it I tried it! LOL
I could never get over their huge blooms. Ours sent up suckers all over. Seems I was constaly cutting then to the ground or they would have taken over.

That fig IS so unusual. I wonder how it tastes compared to the 'usual' ones.

When we lived in San Francisco we woudl aleays go for walks in the botanical gardens. That was back in the 70's, and I still miss it. Don't have any close enough here to visit.
*hugs*deb

Esther Joy said...

There's nothing like fresh fruit from the tree, ...or the vine. Right now we have a spring snow melting on top of budding fruit trees! So, I am a bit envious of you with your tree ripened fruit at this time of the year!

Pondside said...

Wow - citrus in your own backyard - what a treat!

Yvonne said...

Here from fertilizer Friday. What a wonderful post and all that yummy fruit. While we lived in Panama, we had banana trees on the backside of the yard and lots of palm trees with orchids growing on them. So many truely wonderful plants in warmer climates.

Jenny said...

How neat!

Yet how frustrating!

An organic food stand going to waste!

I wonder if they would let you harvest some of the fruits!

Or why they don't turn the produce into something for sale to earn money for them!

Grapefruit sounds quite yummy. My Dad has a beautiful, huge pink grapefruit tree. I think I'm going to have to go harvest a few after seeing your delicious pictures!

Thanks for linking.

A+