Re: Idesia polycarpa

Irene Kuffel wrote:
> 
> Hello Moira,
> 
>   Thanks for the wealth of information. I am rather curious to
>   know what the "natty way of distinguishing the sex in young
>   seed-grown trees" is, since that may be all I can get. May
>   I trouble you for a brief description?
> 
This is what my old book says:-

"With the female tree the top spur and that of the side branches are
very short, only two or three inches before the side shoots commence,
but with the male plants this central spur is often in fact a foot long
or more before any side branches appear. This guide in young unberried
trees is fairly reliable and the same features can be traced in mature
trees as well. We have observed the shorter the central spur the more
profuse the crop of berries which follows."

Hope this works, the man who wrote it has been dead for 20 years or
more, so we can't check with him!

Moira

PS a passing thought - given that most berries are brightly coloured to
attract a creature to eat and disperse them and these berries are
untouched by birds what in fact IS their usual agent of dispersal?
 
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
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