Pi$$ed as a F@rt!

[Colin Key]

Just as a change from bird images, attached is photo of part of a "Strawberry Tree" (Arbutus unedo) in my garden.

This shows the bell-shaped flowers of this Autumn together with the ripening fruit from last year's florescences, going from yellow to red.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/IMG_3240.jpg

This shrub grows wild in the Serra de Monchique, a mountain habitat, and the fruit is collected and fermented before being distilled into the local "hootch" called Medronho. All totally legal (!!?:beer::cry:) and the result is Beeeeautiful.

Unfortunately the fires in recent years have destroyed a lot of the bushes and the price of the "good stuff" is now at a premium (€50 a bottle) - but still well worth it - just had another shot!! :SLEEP:

Colin

[Odonate]

It's also the food plant for Two-tailed Pasha caterpillars

[Colin Key]

These are also a great food-plant for many passerines; the fruit are eaten by many species and the over-ripened fruit attract many flies which in turn attract warblers - my bushes are full of Chiffchaff at the moment.

Colin

[PeterD]

Thanks for posting this Colin. What a gorgeous looking shrub (and I take your word for the drink). Are these available in the UK for cultivation in the garden?

Peter

[MichaelF]

Are these available in the UK for cultivation in the garden?
Yes, any decent nursery should stock it. It is rather fussy about soil conditions, not too easy to grow, though - needs good drainage, no soil compaction, and preferably acidic soil.

It is also native in western Ireland, though not in Britain.

[PeterD]

Yes, any decent nursery should stock it. It is rather fussy about soil conditions, not too easy to grow, though - needs good drainage, no soil compaction, and preferably acidic soil.

It is also native in western Ireland, though not in Britain.

Thanks Michael. The soil here is clay on chalk. Probably not good for it. I do however grow Rhododendron without any bother within purpose built planters with about 2' of ericaceous compost. Do you think this would be OK? I must admit to liking this plant.

Peter

[beltonbirder]

Dig a blimmin gret hole and fill it with Ericaceus compost and top up annually

[PeterD]

Dig a blimmin gret hole and fill it with Ericaceus compost and top up annually

Thanks. I shall give it a try:smile:

Peter

[beltonbirder]

This link will help you.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3324255/How-to-grow-the-strawberry-tree.html

[PeterD]

This link will help you.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3324255/How-to-grow-the-strawberry-tree.html

Thanks for that. I have read and saved the web page. Almost got ready to order but - last orders 2004 for delivery 2005. Oh well, I shall look out for them.

Peter

[Colin Key]

Michael is correct in that it normally requires acidic soil (it thrives in the mountains here where the substrate is shale) but this specimen in my garden is grown in very calcareous marl which is about as alkaline as you can get.

The only places that I know of where it thrives in the British Isles (again, as Michael says) is in Western Ireland and, I believe, on the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Forth (Broddick Castle gardens, to be precise) - it requires the mildness of the Gulf Stream.

Colin

P.S. Just had another "tot" :beer:

[Colin Key]

Dig a blimmin gret hole and fill it with Ericaceus compost and top up annually

Ahh, so you really are Alan Titmarsh!!! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Colin :beer:

[MichaelF]

it requires the mildness of the Gulf StreamIt should do fine in Portsmouth. But it isn't all that restricted by climate in Britain - there used to be a nice large one in Newcastle about 6m tall, but it got cut down when the office grounds it was in were redeveloped :realmad:

Ericaceous compostMix that with an equal quantity of acid sand to give better drainage.

[PeterD]

It should do fine in Portsmouth. But it isn't all that restricted by climate in Britain - there used to be a nice large one in Newcastle about 6m tall, but it got cut down when the office grounds it was in were redeveloped :realmad:

Mix that with an equal quantity of acid sand to give better drainage.

Thanks Colin and Michael I shall have a look/make enquiries in the garden centres locally.

Peter

[Colin Key]

..... - there used to be a nice large one in Newcastle about 6m tall, but it got cut down when the office grounds it was in were redeveloped :realmad:



Did that specimen produce fruit Michael? My understanding was that growing them was easy, but getting them to "produce" was the problem in the U.K. climate (and without the flowers and spectacular fruit they are rather boring things).

Colin

[MichaelF]

Yes, it used to produce plenty.

[PeterD]

Yes, it used to produce plenty.

Thats good because, as you said earlier Michael, it should grow better in Portsmouth and the other plus is that I am on the landward side of Portsdown ridge which should provide shelter.

Peter

[Colin Key]

If you are keen on introducing "bird friendly" plants to your garden Peter, you might also like to consider Callistemon or "Bottle Brush"; warblers and other insectiverous birds love them. Prefer neutral to acid soil but must have some sun (the latter could prove to be a bit of a problem!).

Colin

[PeterD]

If you are keen on introducing "bird friendly" plants to your garden Peter, you might also like to consider Callistemon or "Bottle Brush"; warblers and other insectiverous birds love them. Prefer neutral to acid soil but must have some sun (the latter could prove to be a bit of a problem!).

Colin

Thanks for the tip Colin, I shall look that one up too. I take your point about the sun:cry: but every year cannot be the same:ohdear:.

Peter

[MichaelF]

must have some sun
What is "sun"?

[RoyW]

What is "sun"?

Something that can be quite common in 'foreign parts'.

Now only a rare visitor to the British Isles...

[Colin Key]

What is "sun"?

It is this dreadful, intense bright light that I have to suffer every day. It makes my lawn grow at the rate of 1" a day so that I have to mow it every three days, requires me to have the air-con on in the car all the time, necessitates closing the shutters on the south side of the house to stop us overheating during the day, etc, etc.

My local weather forecast for the next five days: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4793 (temperatures are shade temeratures; out of the shade it is shorts and T-shirt weather).

Colin :laugh:

And the next ten days: http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Portimao-POXX0021

[PeterD]

It is this dreadful, intense bright light that I have to suffer every day. It makes my lawn grow at the rate of 1" a day so that I have to mow it every three days, requires me to have the air-con on in the car all the time, necessitates closing the shutters on the south side of the house to stop us overheating during the day, etc, etc.

My local weather forecast for the next five days: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4793 (temperatures are shade temeratures; out of the shade it is shorts and T-shirt weather).

Colin :laugh:

And the next ten days: http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Portimao-POXX0021

Colin,

Thanks for cheering me up:ohdear:. I also note the very low relative humidity and very good air quality:cry:.

Do enjoy your weekend. We shall be thinking of you:beer:.

Peter

[Ditch]

The only places that I know of where it thrives in the British Isles is in Western Ireland.


:err:



P.S. Just had another "tot" :beer:



We'll let that one slide by then ..... Put it down to the good stuff .....

[Russ Heselden]

Hi Ditch!

Is this because Colin said 'British Isles' and 'West of Ireland' in the same sentence? Isn't that okay? Ireland is part of the British Isles;

'The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller islands. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom) and Ireland (also described as the Republic of Ireland). The British Isles also include three dependencies of the British Crown: the Isle of Man and, by tradition, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the Channel Islands, although the latter are not physically a part of the island group.'

If he'd claimed, say, Galway, as part of the UK that would be a different matter! Or were you disputing the presence of Strawberry Trees in the west of Ireland?

:err:

[Ditch]

Abhorrent label, Russ. 'Tis to me, anyway ~ especially after a few of my own! (:beer: :laugh:) Probably why most people say " Britain and Ireland " ?

[Russ Heselden]

Fair point. 'British Isles' may be technically correct when applied to Ireland, but it always somehow sounds wrong!

[Simon Wates]

It's also the food plant for Two-tailed Pasha caterpillars

It is also the (only) food plant for the much rarer Chapman's Green Hairstreak Callophrys avis However it only occurs in the rare natural habitats dominated my Arbutus unedo.

Best wishes

Simon http://algarvebirdman.com/default.asp?o=13080