North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov]

I havn't grown it, although I have eaten it.  As I recall it ripens midsummer in the southeast.

 

When it is a deep red color it can be eaten.  But there is an important element to eating this fruit- the small, fine thorns on the surface of the fruit must be removed or they will embed in your flesh. They are so fine they are difficult to remove.

 

I was taught to burn the spines off the fruit with a match.  It worked. I don't know if ther are other effective methods.

 

I don't grow the fruit because of the thorns, I found the fruit juicy but uninteresting- watery and mildly sweet.

 

Betsy Hilborn

7a NC