Florida 4-H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual: Fruits and Nuts 1

4H PSJ22 22 Circular 4HEHL Florida 4-H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual: Fruits and Nuts1 J. G. Williamson2 There are 45 fruits a...
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4H PSJ22 22 Circular 4HEHL

Florida 4-H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual: Fruits and Nuts1 J. G. Williamson2 There are 45 fruits and nuts in the 4–H Horticulture Contest. Most of them can be grown somewhere in Florida although only a few are commonly grown throughout the state. However, most of the fruits and nuts are well-known to us as a result of their being widely available in supermarkets sometime during the year. To make it easier to study and learn to identify the fruits and nuts, they are divided into several categories: temperate tree fruits, temperate small fruits, tropical and subtropical fruits, and nuts. Temperate fruits grow in climates that have at least some cold winter weather. Temperate tree fruits and small fruits are deciduous (lose their leaves during the winter). Tree fruits usually grow as small to medium sized trees. Small fruits may be distinguished from tree fruits in that they grow as vines, canes, or multi-trunked shubs. Tropical and subtropical fruits are

evergreen and are adapted to climates where winter temperatures are mild. Technically nuts are also fruits, but are distinguished from other fruits because of their hard outer shells. The plants in this section of the study manual are described using many botanical terms. These terms are used to describe types of leaves, leaf position and arrangement, leaf shapes, leaf margins, flower parts and flower arrangement. It may be helpful, when studying these plant descriptions, to refer to the section "Glossary of Terms" located in the rules and glossary section of the Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual. Space is provided for you to write notes that help you identify the plant. You may also want to cut out photographs from old nursery magazines and catalogs to glue or tape in this manual to further help you in identification.

1.

This document is Circular 4HEHL 22, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: March 1992.

2.

Jeffrey G. Williamson, associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office. Florida Cooperative Extension Service / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / Christine Taylor Stephens, Dean

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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TEMPERATE TREE FRUITS

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

Apple (Malus domestica)

Apricots resemble small peaches in shape and appearance, usually being yellow or orange with a suture along one side. The skin is smoother than a peach, but is finely fuzzy. The stone is oval, flat, smooth with ridges along one edge. Leaves are heart-shaped, sharp pointed, with finely serrated margins. The leaf petioles have glands. The new growth often has a reddish tint. See Figure 2.

Apples are round to slightly elongated and red, yellow or green in color. The fruit are often borne on short stems known as spurs. The blossom end of the fruit may have 4 (sometimes 2 or 3) distinct lobes. The skin is smooth with prominent lenticels, or may be covered with tan corky tissue known as russett. Seed are hard, small, ovoid, pointed at one end, black or brown and shiny. The flesh is crisp, white, and juicy. Papery membranes surround the seeds. Leaves are oblong to oval, pointed, with serrate margins, soft textured with a fine fuzz giving a dull appearance. Tree size varies greatly but is usually relatively small with an upright to slightly spreading growth habit. Some apples and wild crabapples grow in north and central Florida. See Figure 1.

Figure 2. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

Figure 1. Apple (Malus domestica)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Cherry [Prunus avium (sweet), P. cerasus (sour)] Cherries are small, round, yellow, red or nearly black in color, and borne on long stems. The pit is small, round, and smooth, somewhat like a plum seed. Leaves are oval and pointed, with doubly serrate margins and small glands on the petiole. The skin is smooth, shiny and thin. Wild cherries grow in north Florida. See Figure 3.

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Chinese Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba) Trees are moderately large and upright, reaching 40 feet tall. Leaves are glossy and oval to slightly elongated, being broader at the base and from one to two inches long. Flowers are small, white and borne in the leaf axils. Fruit vary from cherry-size to plum-size and may be round or elongate depending on the cultivar. Fruit turns from green to brown at maturity and then quickly begins to shrivel. Fruit are similar to apple in flavor, but are dry rather than juicy, like apple. Chinese jujubes are grown in north and central Florida. See Figure 4.

Figure 3. Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium); Sour Cherry (P. cerasus)

Figure 4. Chinese Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Fig (Ficus carica)

Mayhaw (Crataegus spp.)

Figs are somewhat "pear-shaped" with a neck at the stem end which broadens towards the blossom end. Fruit may be green, yellow or purple in color. The fruit is fleshy with an "eye" leading to a cavity inside. Seed are either absent or inconspicuous. The leaves are large and thick, palmately lobed (3-5 lobes), shiny above and dull or fuzzy below. The sap is milky, sticky, and may irritate the skin. The tree may grow to 30 feet but is more commonly a multi-trunked shrub in Florida, especially if frozen back to the ground. Figs are grown throughout Florida. See Figure 5.

Mayhaw fruit are small (½ to inches in diameter), round, yellow to bright red, fragrant, acid and juicy. The fruit resembles cranberries in appearance and crabapple in flavor. Mayhaw is known for its excellent jellies, preserves and syrups, and is used as forage and cover for wildlife. Mayhaw generally grows as a shrub, or small tree, with thorns and moderately small leaves of varying shape depending on the species. Mayhaw may be found growing naturally in low, wet areas of north Florida, but it grows best in moist, well-drained soils. See Figure 6.

Figure 5. Fig (Ficus carica)

Figure 6. Mayhaw (Crataegus spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Mulberry (Morus spp.)

Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica)

Tree size and other characteristics vary widely with species. Leaves may be lobed, or unlobed, and of varying size, also depending on species. Varying leaf sizes and shapes may be encountered on the same tree. The fruit are usually about one inch long, or smaller, mildy sweet and resemble a slender blackberry. Fruit are borne on the current season’s growth. Mulberry trees are grown in north and north-central Florida. See Figure 7.

Nectarines are generally the same size, shape, and color as peaches, being essentially peaches without fuzz. However, they may be a little smaller and slightly tarter than peaches. Tree size and shape is identical to peach. Nectarines are grown in north and central Florida. See Figure 8.

Figure 7. Mulberry (Morus spp.)

Figure 8. Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Peach (Prunus persica)

Pear (Pyrus communis)

Peaches are roundish, sometimes pointed at the blossom end, with a suture along one side. Peaches vary in size but are usually about the size of a tennis ball. The skin is fuzzy and its color ranges from mostly yellow to mostly red. Flesh color is yellow, or sometimes white. The stone or pit is large, deeply pitted, oval or pointed, and tan to brown in color. The tree is moderately small with a dense upright growth habit except when pruned to encourage spreading growth. Leaves are narrow and 4-8 inches long with finely serrated margins. Peaches are grown throughout Florida. See Figure 9.

Pears may be oblong or nearly round. Typically the stem end is narrow, broadening at the base or blossom end. Fruit may be green, yellow, yellow with a red blush, or red. Like apples, the fruit are usually borne on short stems called spurs. The flesh is white, juicy and soft, with slightly gritty stone cells. However, some cultivars grown in Florida remain crisp when ripe, much like apples. The seeds and leaves are very similar to apple except that the leaves lack fuzz and thus are smooth and shiny in appearance. Pear trees have very upright habit of growth. Some pears are grown in north and central Florida. See Figure 10.

Figure 9. Peach (Prunus persica) Figure 10. Pear (Pyrus communis)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Plum (Prunus spp.)

Persimmons are oblate (flat round) and yellowishgreen to orange or red in color. Five sepals are present at the stem end while the fruit is attached. Persimmons are of two types: (1) astringent and (2) non-astringent. Fruit of the astringent types are very soft when ripe. Fruit of the non-astringent types remain somewhat crisp when ripe. Seeds are large, flat, dark and shiny, if present. Leaves are long, ovate, dark green and shiny above, lighter below. Leaf margins are often curled. Persimmon is grown throughout Florida and wild persimmons are common in north Florida. See Figure 11.

Plums closely resemble small nectarines in shape, although some may be oval instead of round. The flesh and skin color vary greatly with cultivar (yellow, green, red, blue or purple). The skin is smooth and thin, the stone is usually oval, pointed at one end, and slightly rough. Leaf shape also varies with cultivar but is usually wider and shorter than peach, being more or less ovate (egg-shaped), with finely serrate margins. Tree shape varies from spreading to upright, depending on cultivar. See Figure 12.

Figure 11. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Figure 12. Plum (Prunus spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Quince (Cydonia oblonga)

Pomegranates are yellow, red or purple-black, slightly smaller than a baseball, with a protruding calyx at the blossom end. The skin is leathery. The flesh is a juicy, edible, reddish pulp surrounding numerous, small, dark seeds. Leaves are simple, small and somewhat narrow. Pomegranate is grown mostly as a small ornamental tree or large shrub. See Figure 13.

Quince grows as a small tree with flowers appearing in late spring on the terminals of relatively long shoots. Leaves resemble those of apple. The fruit are fuzzy, round or pear-shaped, and usually large (up to one pound in weight). A yellow surface color develops at maturity during late summer. Fruit are quite hard, even at maturity, but are edible when cooked or made into jelly or preserves. See Figure 14.

Figure 14. Quince (Cydonia oblonga)

Figure 13. Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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TEMPERATE SMALL FRUITS

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

Blueberries are small, round or oblate, blue to bluish black at maturity, usually with a waxy bloom and remains of the calyx at the blossom end. Seeds are few and very small. Leaves are small, ovate, with short petioles, entire margins, and usually a waxy surface giving them a light green appearance. The plant is usually a relatively small, multi-trunked shrub. Blueberries grow in north and central Florida. See Figure 16.

Blackberry is a multiple fruit composed of 20-50 small fruitlets attached to a central core which remains in the fruit when picked. The fruit are dark red to black at maturity and thimble-shaped. The plant is either a vine or shrub with trailing or arching canes which are nearly always thorny. Leaves are trifoliate or pinnately compound with 3, 5, 7 or 9 deeply serrate or toothed leaflets. Blackberries are grown throughout Florida and wild blackberries are common in the state. See Figure 15.

Figure 16. Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

Figure 15. Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, S. simpsonii) Elderberries are small, black, juicy, thin-skinned, berries borne in large clusters of hundreds of fruit. Seeds are small and hard. Leaves are compound, usually with 5 or 7 long, slender leaflets with serrated margins. The woody stem has prominent lenticels on the surface and is filled with soft, white pith. This plant grows as a multi-trunked shrub along fences and roadsides throughout Florida. See Figure 17.

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Grape (Vitis spp.) Grapes grow in bunches or clusters on woody vines. Fruit may be green, red, purple, or yellow when ripe. Individual grapes are round or oval, thin-skinned and juicy, except that muscadine grapes are thick-skinned. Seeds are few or absent, small, round and often pointed at one end. Leaf shapes vary with type and cultivar but are usually large, roundish to heart-shaped, often lobed, with serrate margins. Muscadine grape leaves are not lobed but margins are more deeply serrated than leaves of bunch grape. Both wild and cultivated grapes can be grown throughout Florida. See Figure 18.

Figure 17. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, S. simpsonii)

Figure 18. Grape (Vitis spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Raspberry (Rubus spp.)

Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)

Raspberries are very similar to blackberries but the color may be red, black, purple or golden when mature. Unlike blackberry, the central core of raspberry stays on the plant when the fruit is picked, causing the fruit to be hollow, like a thimble. Raspberry leaflets are usually broader than blackberry and are usually whitish and slightly fuzzy underneath. New canes often have a whitish waxy surface. See Figure 19.

Strawberries are bright red at maturity, somewhat cone-shaped or flattened cone-shaped with numerous small, hard, brown seeds scattered on the outside surface in shallow depressions. The fruit is fleshy, with a prominent, green calyx at the stem end. Leaves are compound, consisting of 3 rounded leaflets with deeply serrated margins. The small plant is nearly stemless with a rosette growth habit and often forms stolons on which new plantlets form. Strawberries are grown throughout the state. See Figure 20.

Figure 19. Raspberry (Rubus spp.)

Figure 20. Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS

Banana (Musa spp.)

Avocado (Persea americana)

Bananas are long, finger-like, and slightly curved, with a smooth, yellow skin and soft, creamy-white pulp. There are no seeds in edible types. The fruit are arranged in clusters of 6-25 or more bananas on stems of bunches of 10-15 hands. Leaves are very large, blunt, wide and long, and sometimes tattered along the edges. The flower bud is reddish-purple, large and pointed. Bananas mature fruit only in warm locations of Florida, but are grown as ornamentals throughout Florida. See Figure 22.

Avocados are commonly pear-shaped but they may be rounded or prominently necked. Those grown in Florida commonly have smooth, green skins, but other types may have rough leathery skin which is almost black. The flesh is yellow-green being more green toward the skin and more yellow toward the seed. The single seed is large and smooth. Fruit size is variable. Leaves are large, smooth, ovate, broadly pointed and dark green. The trees are medium to large and are generally considered to be evergreen although some types lose their leaves briefly before flowering. Avocados are grown in central and south Florida. See Figure 21.

Figure 22. Banana (Musa spp.)

Figure 21. Avocado (Persea americana)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra)

Carambola (Averrhoa carambola)

The Barbados cherry is a large, densely-branched shrub, or small tree if pruned to form a central trunk. The growth habit may be low and spreading, or upright and open. Leaves are glossy, 1 to 3 inches long and more or less egg-shaped. Flowers are small and range from pink to red. The small, juicy, thin-skinned fruit are roundish, about one inch in diameter and deep crimson. The fruit are borne in leaf axils, singularly, or in clusters of two or three. The flesh is yellow and has varying levels of acidity, depending on the cultivar. Barbados cherry grows in south Florida and in the warmer regions of central Florida. See Figure 23.

The tree is small and slow growing with a round, symmetrical canopy. Leaves are pinnately compound with individual leaflets ranging from one to three inches in length. Fruit is egg-shaped, or somewhat elongated with rounded ends. Five (rarely 4 or 6) prominant longitudinal ribs give the fruit a star shape when cut in cross-section. The thin-skinned fruit is yellow, crisp and very juicy with an acid or subacid flavor. Seed number varies from none to about 10 per fruit. Seed are long, thin and light brown. Carambola is grown in south Florida. See Figure 24.

Figure 24. Carambola (Averrhoa carambola)

Figure 23. Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)

Guava (Psidium guajava)

Grapefruit is the largest citrus fruit in this group, usually about the size of a softball. The fruit is round but often flattened at each end with a rind that is yellow, or yellow tinged with pink or red. The flesh is buff or pinkish-red in color and slightly bitter and tart in taste. Seeds may be absent, few, or many. Leaves are large, broadly ovate, blunt pointed, with large, winged petioles which are heart-shaped. The tree is moderately large with a dense, spreading canopy. Grapefruit is grown throughout central and south Florida. See Figure 25.

Guavas are round or ovoid and yellow or greenishyellow in color. The skin is thin, waxy and nearly smooth except for the prominent calyx at the blossom end. The flesh is pink, white or red with numerous small, hard seeds. Leaves are broad, light green, with prominent veins. The fruit has characteristic musky odor. Guavas, including wild forms, grow throughout warmer areas of central and south Florida. See Figure 26.

Figure 26. Guava (Psidium guajava)

Figure 25. Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Kumquat (Fortunella spp.)

Lemon (Citrus limon)

There are several species of kumquat which vary widely in size, shape, and flavor. They are the smallest citrus fruits. They are oblong or round in shape and orange or reddish-orange in color. The rind is thin and pebbly. The flesh is in 3-5 segments, lacking in juice, with rather large seeds for the size of the fruit. Fruit may be tart or sweet, depending on species. Leaves are small, rather narrow and pointed, without petiole wings. Kumquats can be grown throughout Florida and are widely used as ornamentals. See Figure 27.

Lemons are oblong, yellow, smooth-skinned, with a nipple at the blossom end and may be slightly necked at the stem end. The flesh is buff colored, acid and aromatic. The lemon odor is characteristic of the leaves, rind and juice. Seeds are few, but present. Leaves are ovate-oblong with very narrow or no petiole wings. Lemons are generally grown in south Florida. See Figure 28.

Figure 28. Lemon (Citrus limon)

Figure 27. Kumquat (Fortunella spp.)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Lime [Citrus aurantifolia (Key lime), C. latifolia (Tahiti lime)] Tahiti limes are very much like lemons except they are generally marketed green and they have no seeds. Key limes are smaller and rounder, seedy, and are often allowed to turn yellow. Leaves of both are somewhat rounder and blunter than lemon leaves. Both key lime and Tahiti lime have the characteristic lime odor. Both are primarily grown only in south Florida. See Figure 29.

Loquat (Eribotrya japonica) Loquats are golden yellow, somewhat ovate, fuzzyskinned, and a little larger than most kumquats or pecans. There are few large, shiny, dark seeds in the soft, tart, yellowish flesh. Leaves are large, leathery, dark green above and fuzzy beneath. Loquats are grown mainly as ornamentals throughout Florida, and frequently produce fruit in even the coldest areas of the state. See Figure 30.

Figure 30. Loquat (Eribotrya japonica)

Figure 29. Key Lime (Citrus aurantifolia); Tahiti Lime (C. latifolia)

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Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Lychee (Litchi chinensis)

Mamey sapote (Calocarpum sapota)

Lychees are dull red or occasionally yellow in color, oval to round in shape, with a leathery skin covered with small, blunt bumps. The flesh is translucent, much like a muscadine grape, is sweet, and surrounds a large, oval, dark, shiny seed. Leaves are glossy, narrow, elongated and pointed at the tip. Lychees are grown only in warmer areas of Florida. See Figure 31.

The tree is moderately large and upright (to 40 feet) with a thick central trunk. Leaves are large and somewhat elongate (to 12 inches long and 4 inches wide). Leaves are fuzzy and brownish when young but become glossy and green at maturity. Leaves tend to cluster at the ends of the shoots. Flowers are small and white and also tend to cluster at the shoot tips. The fruit is more or less egg-shaped, 3-6 inches long with a thick, scurfy, brown peel. The flesh is salmon pink to reddish brown and contains 1 to 4 large elongated seed which are hard, shiny and dark brown. Mamey sapote grows only in the warmer areas of south Florida. See Figure 32.

Figure 31. Lychee (Litchi chinensis)

Figure 32. Mamey sapote (Calocarpum sapota)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Mango (Mangifera indica)

Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Mangos are variable in size and shape, which may be flattened, oval or S-shaped, and the color may be greenish-yellow, yellow with a red or purple blush or completely red. The skin is tight, thick and smooth. The flesh is yellow to orange with few to many fibers. The single seed is large, flat and in a woody, fibrous husk. Leaves are long and narrow, with prominent mid and lateral veins. The tree is medium to large, evergreen, with a symmetrical, rounded canopy. Mangos are grown only in very warm areas of Florida. See Figure 33.

Oranges are smaller than grapefruit, usually being about the size of a baseball. Fruit are round or nearly so, with a somewhat coarser rind than grapefruit, being yellowish-orange in color. The flesh is yellowish-orange and sweet. Seeds may be absent, few, or many. Leaves are ovate, pointed, with rather narrow petiole wings. Oranges grow throughout central and south Florida. See Figure 34.

Figure 34. Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Figure 33. Mango (Mangifera indica)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Papaya (Carica papaya)

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Papayas are large, round, broadly pear-shaped or cylindrical. The skin is thin and yellow or yellowishgreen at maturity. The flesh is yellow-orange or red and somewhat firm. The center of the fruit is a large cavity lined with soft, black, pea-sized seeds. Leaves are very large, with deeply lobed margins and a very long, cylindrical petiole. Papayas, including wild forms, grow throughout warmer areas of central and south Florida. See Figure 35.

Pineapple is a multiple fruit. It is oval to cylindrical in shape, topped by a leafy crown. The skin is golden yellow at maturity and has numerous scales. The flesh is whitish-yellow, juicy and sweet, around a central fibrous core. Seeds are absent. Leaves are grey-green, long, narrow, pointed, V-shaped and often have spiny margins. Pineapples are grown in warm areas of central and south Florida and can be grown in containers and as ornamentals throughout Florida. See Figure 36.

Figure 35. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Figure 36. Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)

Tangelo (Citrus reticulata x C. paradisi)

The tree is moderately small, rarely exceeding 15 feet in height or width. Leaves are pale green, narrow and 2½-4 inches long, sparsely hairy when young, but smooth at maturity. Flowers are greenish yellow, about one inch long and borne singularly, or in clusters of 2-4. Fruit are round, egg-shaped or somewhat cone-shaped and range from 2-4 inches in diameter. The fruit consist of many loosely attached segments which project from the fruit surface as rounded lumps. These segments are easily separated at maturity. The fruit is yellowish green and may be covered with a waxy white or bluish bloom. The pulp is white or creamy white and soft. Embedded in the pulp are many small, shiney, dark brown seeds. Sugar apple is grown only in the warmer regions of south Florida. See Figure 37.

Tangelos are the results of crosses between tangerines and grapefruit. Tangelos are usually about the same size as oranges, usually round, sometimes with a distinct neck at the stem end. The rind is orange to reddish-orange in color. Fruit usually peels easily and the segments usually separate readily. Seed numbers are variable. Leaves are similar to oranges, with petiole wings of various sizes. Tangelos grow throughout central and south Florida. See Figure 38.

Figure 38. Tangelo (Citrus reticulata x C. paradisi)

Figure 37. Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

NUTS

Tangerines (mandarins) are similar to oranges and tangelos but are usually smaller and somewhat flattened, though the stem end may be slightly necked. The rind is thin and easily peeled, reddish-orange and slightly coarse. The flesh is orange, juicy and sweet-tart, in segments which separate readily. The seeds have green cotyledons, unlike other citrus. Leaves are small, narrow, pointed, with narrow petiole wings. They can be grown throughout most of the state. See Figure 39.

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

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Black walnut develops inside a rough, green husk about the size of a tennis ball. The shell is nearly round, black, very hard, rough and deeply ridged. Leaves are compound, having 15 or more leaflets which are lanceolate with serrate margins. Black walnuts grow and fruit in north Florida. See Figure 40.

Figure 39. Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

Figure 40. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) Cashew is a small, tropical tree. The fruit is pearshaped, red or yellow, with a smooth, thin-shelled, grayish-green, kidney-shaped appendage (the nut) suspended from the bottom end. The kernel inside the shell is light tan or whitish and curved. Cashews grow only in very warm locations of extreme south Florida. See Figure 41.

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Chestnut (Castanea mollissima [Chinese chestnut]) Chestnuts develop inside a green, spiny husk which turns brown and separates at maturity to reveal 2 or more nuts. The nuts are nearly round but flattened on one or both sides. The shell is thin, dark, leathery and shiny except for the large, roughened scar at one end. The kernel is whitish inside a light tan, somewhat fuzzy seed coat. Leaves are large, broad, bluntly pointed, with irregular margins. Chinese chestnuts are grown in north Florida. See Figure 42.

Figure 41. Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) Figure 42. Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

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Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

Hickory Nut (Carya spp.)

Coconut is a subtropical tree and is the largest of all nuts, being about the size of a softball. The smooth, fibrous husk is about the size of a football and may be green, brown or yellow at maturity. The nut inside is hard, rough, brown, with husk fibers attached to it, and has 3 "eyes" at one end. Pure white coconut meat lines the inside of the shell and usually a quantity of coconut milk is inside the cavity. Leaves are very large, compound, with numerous long, narrow, point leaflets. Coconuts grow in warmer locations of central and south Florida. See Figure 43.

Hickory nuts develop inside a smooth, green husk that turns black and splits open at maturity. The nut is globose, hard, tan in color, slightly ridged, usually with a pronounced point at one end. The kernel is thick and wrinkled. Leaves are similar to pecan, being compound with many leaflets having serrate margins. Hickory grows wild throughout north and north central Florida, but the nut is of little economic importance. See Figure 44.

Figure 44. Hickory Nut (Carya spp.)

Figure 43. Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

Florida 4–H Horticulture Identification and Judging Study Manual — Fruits and Nuts

Pecan (Carya illinoensis) Pecans develop inside a rough green husk that turns black and splits open at maturity. The nut is oblong, brown or tan with black streaks, smooth, thin-shelled and pointed. The kernel is distinctively ridged. Leaves are compound, with 11-17 leaflets, more or less lanceolate, with serrate or doubly serrate margins. Bark becomes gray, rough, and somewhat scaley on older trees. Pecans grow throughout Florida, but rarely produce good crops in south Florida. See Figure 45.

Figure 45. Pecan (Carya illinoensis)

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