What is a Che Tree or a Mandarin Melon Berry?

I learned about the Che Tree or Mandarin Melon Berry (Maclura tricuspidata) several years ago and was able to purchase my own plant to grow in my yard. The nursery where I purchased mine had grafted the tree onto the roots of the Osage Orange tree rootstock to prevent it from growing invasively from roots. We have lots of Osage Orange trees that grow freely around our property in Maryland and I have a female tree that produces fruit without seeds. 

When I read that the Mandarin Melon Berry tree roots easily from cuttings, I thought I would add the interesting fruit to my listings of cuttings that I like to sell on Etsy  

After almost three years, my plant grew into a nice tree with beautiful leaves and last year bore lots of bright red berries a little over an inch in size. We learned to wait until they were almost ready to fall off the branch before picking them to enjoy them at their sweetest.

Ever heard of a Che tree? If not, you're not alone! This intriguing plant often flies under the radar, but it's a unique and rewarding addition to the adventurous gardener's collection.

What Exactly Is a Che Tree? 

• Scientific Name: Cudrania tricuspidata (sometimes classified as Maclura tricuspidata).

• Common Names: Che, Chinese Mulberry, Cudrang, Silkworm Thorn, Mandarin Melon Berry.

• Family: Moraceae – the same family as Mulberries, Figs, and Osage Orange (to which it's closely related).

• Origin: Native to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan).

• Appearance: It's typically a small deciduous tree or large shrub, growing anywhere from 10 to 30 feet tall. It has a somewhat rounded, spreading habit. Watch out – most varieties have thorns, especially when young! The leaves are variable; sometimes simple ovals, sometimes distinctively lobed (often 3-lobed, hence tricuspidata) especially on vigorous young growth. Like its relatives, it exudes a milky sap when cut.

• The Fruit: This is where it gets interesting! Che fruit looks like a bumpy, red, raspberry-mulberry hybrid, about 1-2 inches in diameter. The texture is chewy and slightly gelatinous, and the flavor is... well, debated! It's generally described as mildly sweet, sometimes reminiscent of fig, melon, or a sweet, watery mulberry. Flavor intensity can vary greatly depending on the variety, ripeness, and growing conditions. Some find it delicious and refreshing, others find it a bit bland. They ripen late in the season, typically late summer into fall.

• Male & Female Trees: Important point! Che trees are usually dioecious, meaning individual trees are either male or female. You generally need both a male and a female tree for the female tree to produce seeded (and often larger, better-flavored) fruit through pollination. However, female trees can sometimes produce seedless fruit (parthenocarpy) without a male nearby, but this isn't always reliable or might result in smaller fruit. Some sources mention self-fertile varieties, but these seem less common.

• Growing Conditions: Che is pretty adaptable! It prefers full sun for best fruiting, tolerates a range of soils (though well-drained is best), and is quite drought-tolerant once established. It's generally hardy in USDA zones 5-9, possibly colder with some protection.

  
  
  

Why Grow Che?

• It's unusual and a great conversation starter.

• The fruit is unique, even if an acquired taste for some.

• It's relatively low-maintenance and pest/disease resistant.

• It's related to mulberries and figs, making it interesting for fruit enthusiasts.

• Birds often enjoy the fruit (which can be good or bad, depending on your perspective!).

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How to Root Che Tree Cuttings

Propagating Che from cuttings allows you to clone a specific tree (especially useful if you have a female tree you like or a known self-fertile variety). Be warned: Che isn't the easiest plant to root from cuttings compared to things like willow or mint, but it's definitely possible with patience! Hardwood or semi-hardwood cuttings tend to have better success rates than softwood.

Best Time to Take Cuttings:

• Hardwood Cuttings: Late fall or winter, during the dormant season after leaves have dropped.

• Semi-Hardwood Cuttings: Late summer or early fall, when the current season's growth has started to mature and firm up but isn't fully woody.

  
  
  

What You'll Need:

1. Healthy Parent Tree: Source of your cuttings.

2. Sharp, Clean Pruners or Knife: Sterilize with rubbing alcohol or bleach solution between cuts.

3. Rooting Hormone: Powder, liquid, or gel (IBA or NAA). This significantly increases success rates for woody cuttings like Che.

4. Rooting Medium: A well-draining mix. Options include:

• Sharp sand

• Perlite

• Vermiculite

• A mix of peat moss/coir and perlite/sand (e.g., 50/50)

5. Pots or Trays: With drainage holes. Small individual pots or a larger tray work.

6. Plastic Bag or Humidity Dome: To maintain high humidity around the cuttings.

7. Labels: To keep track of what you're rooting and when.

8. Watering Can/Spray Bottle: For keeping the medium moist.

9. (Optional but Recommended) Heat Mat: Bottom heat encourages root development, especially for hardwood cuttings.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Select Your Cuttings: Choose healthy, vigorous stems from the current or last season's growth. Aim for pencil thickness (around 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter).

2. Take the Cuttings: Cut segments about 6-10 inches long. Make the bottom cut just below a node (a bump where a leaf was or a bud is present). Make the top cut just above a node. If taking semi-hardwood cuttings, remove the lower leaves, leaving only 2-3 leaves at the top (you can cut large leaves in half horizontally to reduce water loss). For hardwood cuttings, there won't be any leaves.

3. Wound the Base (Optional but Recommended): Gently scrape off a thin vertical sliver of bark (about 1 inch long) on one or two sides of the bottom end of the cutting. This exposes more cambium layer, potentially encouraging rooting.

4. Apply Rooting Hormone: Moisten the bottom inch or so of the cutting, then dip it into the rooting hormone powder or gel, ensuring the cut end and any wounded area are coated. Tap off any excess powder.

5. Plant the Cuttings: Fill your pots/tray with the pre-moistened rooting medium. Use a dibber or pencil to make holes in the medium to avoid scraping off the hormone. Insert the cuttings into the holes, burying at least 2-3 nodes deep. Gently firm the medium around the cuttings.

6. Water Gently: Water the medium again lightly to settle it around the cuttings. Ensure it's moist but not waterlogged.

7. Provide Humidity: Cover the pot/tray with a clear plastic bag (use stakes to keep it off the leaves) or place it under a humidity dome. This prevents the cuttings from drying out before they can grow roots.

8. Place in a Suitable Location:

• Light: Bright, indirect light (avoid direct sun, which can cook them).

• Temperature: Warmth is key. Room temperature (65-75°F / 18-24°C) is okay, but bottom heat from a heat mat set to around 70-75°F (21-24°C) significantly boosts success, especially for hardwood cuttings.

9. Care and Patience:

• Moisture: Keep the rooting medium consistently moist but never soggy (this encourages rot). Check regularly.

• Ventilation: Open the bag or dome for 10-15 minutes every few days to allow air circulation and prevent fungal issues.

• Patience: Rooting Che can take time – anywhere from several weeks to several months. Don't give up too soon! Hardwood cuttings taken in winter might not show significant root growth until spring.

10. Check for Roots: After 6-8 weeks (or longer), you can start checking for roots. Don't pull the cuttings out frequently, as this disturbs developing roots. Instead:

• Look for new leaf growth (a good sign, but not definitive proof of roots).

• Give a very gentle tug. If you feel resistance, roots are likely forming.

• Check for roots emerging from the drainage holes.

11. Potting Up: Once cuttings have a decent root system (visible roots, resistance to tugging), carefully transplant them into individual pots with standard potting soil.

12. Acclimatize: Gradually reduce the humidity over a week or two by opening the bag/dome for longer periods before removing it completely. Keep the newly potted plants in indirect light initially, slowly introducing them to more sun.

Tips for Success:

• Start with Multiple Cuttings: Che rooting can be hit-or-miss. Increase your chances by starting with more cuttings than you need.

• Use Bottom Heat: Especially crucial for hardwood cuttings in cooler temperatures.

• Be Patient: This is often the hardest part!

• Maintain High Humidity: Essential until roots form.

• Ensure Good Drainage: Soggy medium is the enemy.

Good luck with your Che tree adventures! It's a rewarding plant to grow and propagate, even if it requires a little extra effort. Happy gardening!

Growing a Gingko Tree from Seed and Beyond

Have you ever been driving through a neighborhood and noticed a stunningly brilliant yellow tree with distinctive fan-shaped leaves? Or maybe you have heard of taking gingko biloba supplements for helping various ailments. Well that is what happened to me and so I started looking into what kind of a tree it was and if I could plant it on our property. But that was years ago and I never acted on getting seedlings or seeds until the fall of 2023.

I was taking a walk in a neighboring town and noticed a small fruit on the ground along the curb of a street. Since the size and shape reminded me of a small apricot I was curious what it might be but before I could touch it, the rank smell reminded me of my previous research on the Gingko tree and that the seeds should not be touched with bare hands. I picked it up with a napkin and looked around for the mother tree. Sure enough, about 20 feet away was a female Gingko tree covered in the orange fruit and plenty of droppings for me to grab. 

So to start, this is how you can grow a Gingko tree from seed.

-Harvest ripe dropped seeds in the early fall.

-Place them in a clean bucket and covered them with water for around three weeks. Keep them away from your house as the smell is horrendous

-Drain the seeds and put on rubber gloves. Separate the fleshy covering from the seed underneath and then rinse with fresh water.

-Place the seeds in a damp paper towel or cloth and then in a plastic bag or container. Keep them in a dark cool (40-55 degrees F) place for the next 6 months. Check every few weeks to make sure the towel or cloth is still damp, but not wet.

-Remove the sprouted seeds in the spring and plant in a gallon pot filled with regular potting soil, being careful not to damage the small root. Set them in a sheltered place outside and water as needed to keep the soil damp.

-Once the seedling is about 8-12 inches tall in the summer, you can transplant the young tree to a permanent spot where it can grow at least 10 feet from any other trees or shrubs. Full sun is best but the tree will also grow just fine in partial sunlight.

-Water the tree every few days or as needed through the summer so the young roots don't dry out.

-For the tree to bear fruit, you will need at least one male and one female but since you don't know which is which until several years have passed, predicting what you have is a bit of a gamble. 

You can also grow these as a bonsai in a pot if you are not in the growing zones 3-9.

The roots are not invasive as they grow deep and so they make great neighborhood trees along sidewalks or small backyards.

If you don't have access to a neighborhood tree for the seeds, I do have several seedlings for sale on my page on Etsy here: Gingko biloba seedlings.

How to Root Red Mulberry Tree Cuttings

Sidewalk covered in Mulberries

One of the fun and nostalgic rites of summer is the arrival of the ripe red mulberries as they first show up dropping their fruit onto the sidewalks and driveways of our town. I am sure they are dropping their fruit onto the lawns and fields, but you never notice them until suddenly you are walking over them and you look up to see the dark fruit hanging in masses above your head. Unlike a lot of other dark berries, mulberries won't stain your fingers, so you don't have to be so careful as you stuff handfuls into your mouth. 

You might assume that the common mulberries growing along the eastern United States are black mulberries since the berries go from white to red to black when they ripen. However the black mulberry (Morus nigra) is a different cultivar native to Southwest Asia. I am speaking of the Morus Rubra, a North America native mulberry that grows along the East Coast from USDA growing zone 3 through 8. We have several trees that grow on our property and harvesting cuttings is a fun way to propagate the trees. Many times, I will forget to label the pots and as they go dormant in winter, I can always tell it's a mulberry by the tree's orange roots. This tree likes to grow in floodplains and spreads its roots in a large network within the top 24 inches of soil, collecting nutrients and moisture and at the same time making it a very sturdy tree. 

Here is how I like to root my red mulberry cuttings:

• Take cuttings from the newest growth that is almost as thick as a pencil. Immediately after cutting, place the bottom into a container of water so that there is no chance of the cut drying out. I use an angled cut on the bottom about a 1/4-inch below a node and a straight cut across the top of a 6 to 8 inch section, also about 1/4-inch above a node. Take several cuttings at a time to increase your chances of success.
• Prepare a rooting container by filling it with 4 - 6 inches of a dampened mixture of vermiculite and coconut coir or something similar with good drainage. Poke holes with a pencil sized instrument.
• Dip your cutting into a rooting hormone (optional) and then into the prepared holes. Keep at least one node above the soil line. Press the soil firmly around each cutting making sure the bark has good contact. 
• Cover the cuttings with a cloche or translucent bag to keep the humidity levels high around the cuttings. Open the covering every 7 to 14 days to freshen the air and prevent mold and fungal growth.
• Place the covered cuttings in a shady but warm (65 to 75 F) place for 6 to 8 weeks or until you see signs of growth. Make sure the soil never dries out or you will most likely have dead cuttings as the fragile new roots dry out very easily.

• When leaves appear, remove the coverings and mist lightly every few days and check for root growth. I like to use translucent containers so I can see the roots as they develop.
• Transfer into individual containers filled with potting soil when you see roots and continue to moisten every few days until you see vigorous growth.
• Your new red mulberry tree is now ready to be planted in a sunny spot that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day. Continue to water for the first year when you notice the soil is dry. I do not fertilize young trees as I want to encourage root growth to find its own nutrients and water away from the planting site.

If you don't have access to a mulberry tree for cuttings, you can always check here: 

https://wildflowerrun.etsy.com/listing/1218131545.

Rooting Green Gooseberry Bushes from Hardwood Cuttings

Green gooseberries are a common type of berry from the large family of Ribes. My first encounter with them was when I was a child in Washington state visiting a friend of the family. He had long rows of gooseberry plants along with blackberries and raspberries growing in his backyard. The gooseberries were so beautiful in the sunlight as the light passed through their translucent skin. I must have happened to visit just as they were ripe as I remember the flavor to be be tart but sweet. Years later, one of my daughters bought me my own gooseberry plant. Since I live in the hot and humid climate of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, growing the gooseberries was a little harder. However, I have found a spot where it receives about 6 hours of sunlight per day and some shade during the hot afternoon hours.

Now, since I know that I can root my red currant bushes pretty simply, I found with a little research that gooseberry bushes are also easy to propagate with cuttings. 

Gooseberry Bush

First you are going to need a plant pot filled with equal parts of dampened coconut coir and vermiculite or something similar. Press the mixture firmly into the pot with the heel of your palm. Poke a hole into the firmed mixture with a wooden dowel or pencil or screwdriver. The depth of the hole should be enough to leave just one leaf node showing after planting.

Now take your cutting and inspect it after rinsing it. The bottom angled cut should be green and not dried out. Scrape a little section of bark from about an inch or two from the bottom on one side of the cutting. Dip the cutting immediately into some rooting hormone and then into the prepared pot. Repeat for other cuttings. An 8-inch pot can hold 6-8 cuttings. Press the soil firmly around the cuttings to make sure the cutting has good contact with the damp rooting mixture. Water lightly.

Place a cover like a plastic bag or a glass jar or cloche over the cuttings to hold moisture around the stems.

Fancy Plant Cloche

And now comes the hard part - waiting.  You will feel like an eternity has passed before you see a little root coming out from the bottom of the pot. Make sure that you check the cutting at least once a week to open the cover and let fresh air in. You can also check the moisture of the soil and add a little water if you think it feels dry.

I keep my cuttings out of direct sunlight in a unheated greenhouse over the winter. 

Expect the gooseberry bush cuttings to take 3-4 months to root.

Once you see the roots emerging from the bottom of the plant pot, carefully repot each rooted cutting into its own pot and water. Keep the cutting covered until you see leaves forming. Once the rooted cutting has formed leaves, you can move it outside to a permanent setting either in a large pot or in the ground. 

Plant outside in permanent position

That is how you grow green gooseberries from cuttings. Once your bush has grown over a couple of years, you can repeat the process and multiply your harvest simply with cuttings.

You can make a tart gooseberry jam with any berries left over from eating fresh. I like combining raspberries with gooseberries to make a beautiful and tasty jam.

Gooseberry jam

If you need to find a source for fresh cuttings, you can check out my Etsy shop, here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/wildflowerrun, or scan here:

WildflowerRun