Potted plants with ornamental fruitcan enliven any interior and bring a touch of exoticism to it. Many of them attract attention not only due to their fruit, but also beautiful flowers and interesting leaves. Some of their fruits are also edible! Here are the10 most interesting ornamental fruit plantsthat you can grow at home. We discuss their cultivation requirements and the most important care treatments.
Potted plants with ornamental fruit
Reticulated pineapple
Reticulated pineapple(Ananas bracteatus var.tricolor) - comes from South America - Brazil and Paraguay. It is a sought-after houseplant due to its striped leaves and decorative fruit. Brown-green leaves with yellow edges can reach 6.5 cm in width and 90 cm in length. They create wide and rigid rosettes.Pineapple fruits take a long time to grow , because they take several months and mature in spring.
For proper developmentpotted pineapple requires a bright, sunny positionand a temperature of around 25 ° C. In winter, the temperature must not drop below 18 ° C. The plant requires a fertile and well-drained substrate. You can buy ready-made soil intended for pineapple plants or mix sand, peat and leaf soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 10.
Reticulated pineapple
Fig. depositphotos.com
Pineapple requires an air humidity of 60%. We water it frequently, immediately after the soil surface has dried. Feed with universal fertilizers for potted plants or fertilizer for orchids twice a month. We replant the plants every 2-3 years.
Corrugated Ardizia
Corrugated Ardizia(Ardisia crenata) is a small shrub native to Southeast Asia. Due to the slow growth rate, it is suitable for growing as a room plant. Notched Ardizia grows up to 90 cm in height. Both the leathery green leaves of Ardizia and the delicate, small white flowers appearing in summer are decorative. However, it isfruit, red spherical berries that are the greatest decoration of this plantIn our conditions, the fruit appears just before Christmas and lasts until summer.
Ardizja
Fig. depositphotos.com
Ardizia is undemandingPrefers moderate temperatures and a bright, draft-free position. He prefers cooler temperatures, feels good at room temperature. Requires fertile and well-drained soil. We supply it with universal fertilizer for potted plants throughout the year, every 2 weeks from spring to late summer, and once a month during the rest of the year.
Chruścina jagodna
Berry bush(Arbutus unedo), also known as the strawberry tree, is an evergreen shrub found in natural positions in South and North America, the Mediterranean and Asia. In our climatic conditions, it is a domestic houseplant. The strawberry tree owes its unusual name to reddish crimson, edible berries with a fleshy, tart flesh and a strawberry scent.The fruits ripen successively throughout the year and the branches contain fruits and flowers at the same timeThe plant is also decorated with dark green, leathery leaves and panicles of small, white flowers appearing in late autumn and winter.
Strawberry tree
Fig. pixabay.com
Tapotted plant with ornamental fruitfeels good in rooms with room temperature and moderate air humidity.In winter, it requires a period of rest and lowering the temperature to 5-10 ° C. The substrate for the crispbread can be universal, but enriched with perlite or coarse sand. The strawberry tree requires a constantly moist substrate, but does not like stagnant water. During the growing season, from spring to late autumn, we use a universal fertilizer for potted plants once a month.
Fig 'Petite Negra'
Common Fig (Ficus carica) 'Petite Negra' is the perfectpotted fig variety for growing in apartmentsIt is a dwarf tree, growing up to 1.5 m tall, known for this that it bears fruit even at a very young age. It produces medium-sized dark purple fruit with amber flesh and excellent flavor.
Figs
Fig. pixabay.com
Fig trees do bestin places where they have at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day.They do not like cold and drafts, so keep them away from doors and windows. They prefer heavy soils with the addition of clay.
Tapotted plant with ornamental and edible fruitsdoes not require high requirements. We water it moderately and during the growing season we feed it with universal fertilizer every 3 weeks. In summer, the fig tree can be moved outside to provide enough light for fruiting.
In winter, place the fig pot in roomwith a temperature of 4-8 ° C. It doesn't have to be very clear, as the fig sheds its leaves and goes into a winter dormant state. In winter, watering should be limited, but the soil should not be completely dry.
Golteria sent out
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Golteria sent out
Golteria dispersed (Gaultheria procumbens) - is a small shrub from the heather family. It has a compact habit and its shiny green leaves turn reddish in autumn.In the summer, the plant showers with pink flowers, which in autumn turn into shiny red berries.Goldfinch fruits last until springGolteria likes semi-shaded positions, and the soil is permeable and slightly acidic. Moderate watering and regular fertilization every two weeks is recommended.
Pomegranate 'Nana'
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) 'Nana' - comes from Asia. This highly branched shrub grows up to 100 cm in height.Pomegranate decorates the house with red, hanging, tubular flowers from June to SeptemberIf we pollinate them, under the right conditions they can develop fruits - orange-red, spherical, the size of a walnut. The fruit does not ripen at home so it is not edible.
Granat - Punica granatum
Fig. pixabay.com
The growing position for thisinteresting potted plant with ornamental fruitsshould be sunny and moderately warm, and the substrate universal.From May to November, the pomegranate can be placed outside, but in winter it should be moved to a cooler room with a temperature of 10 ° C. During the growing season, it requires abundant watering and fertilizing. To stimulate flowering, in early spring, shorten the shoots growing outside and trim the old and weakened twigs more.
Creeping Nertera
Creeping Nertera (Nertera granadensis) comes from South America and New Zealand. It creates a dense carpet of long, creeping shoots covered with small, fleshy leaves. Small, white flowers appear in late spring and in autumn they are replaced bypea-sized orange fruitsNertera has a low root, so it looks good in shallow pots or bowls.
Nertera - Nertera granadensis
Fig. depositphotos.com
Taan ornamental fruit pot plantneeds fresh air, a bright position and plenty of water to grow.She feels best at a temperature not exceeding 17 ° C. During the winter months, watering should be limited and the plant should be kept in a cool place with a temperature of 8-10 ° C. If possible, it's a good idea to put the nerder outside in the spring and move it back into the room after it has tied the berries. In summer and autumn, when the plant bears fruit, we feed it every four weeks with a universal fertilizer for potted plants. We must ensure high air humidity by sprinkling the plant every day, from the opening of the first flowers to the setting of the berries.
Kalamondyna
Calamondas (Citrofortunella mitis), also known as the miniature orange tree, is a hybrid of mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and Japanese kumquat (Fortunella japonica). Growing up to 1.5 m in height, it is perfect for apartments. This attractive plant has decorative leaves and fragrant white flowers that are sprinkled on the tree from spring to fall. The biggest ornaments of Calamondas are, however, fruits that appear in winterSmall and spherical with an intense orange color, they are only decorative. They cannot be eaten because of their very sour taste.
Kalamondyna
Fig. pixabay.com
Calamondas grows best in a sunny and secluded place. She doesn't mind dry air. We should provide it with a fertile, permeable, slightly acidic and constantly moist substrate. We fertilize the plant from April to October every two weeks. We replant the young ones every year, the older ones every 2-3 years. In summer, thispotted plant with ornamental fruitcan be placed outside. It winters in bright rooms with a temperature of 10-15 ° C.
Kumquats
Kumquat(Citrus japonica) is a small, deciduous fruit tree native to China and Southeast Asia. Kumquat grows slowly, reaching 2 m in height.The plant has dense, glossy dark green leaves. In late spring and early summer small white flowers appear, followed byfruits that ripen gradually until winterSmall, oblong fruits smell great and taste reminiscent of oranges. Young trees may take a year or two after planting to start bearing fruit.
Kumquat
Fig. pixabay.com
The most important for the proper fruiting of this plantis as much bright light as possible, preferably sunlight. If necessary, the plant can be additionally illuminated with LED lamps. The substrate for the kumquat should be fertile, humus with a slightly acidic reaction. Although kumquats like water, they do not tolerate overflow, so keep the soil slightly moist at all times. These citrus trees prefer high air humidity, so they should be sprinkled regularly with soft water. You can also place the pot on a pebble tray filled with water.Every 2 weeks we feed the plants with fertilizer for citrus. Kumquat hibernates in bright rooms with a temperature of 5-10 ° C.
Papaya, papaya tree
Papaya (Carica papaya), or papaya tree, is a perennial with large, edible and exceptionally tasty fruits. The plant has a straight stem which is topped with a bunch of large, deeply cut leaves on long petioles. Papaya flowers are funnel-shaped, fragrant, cream or yellow. The fruit resembles a pear. They are large, green at first, and turn orange as they mature.
Papaya, papaya
Fig. pixabay.com
Papaya grows well not only in the wild, but also in an apartment. Papaya seedlings can be obtained from seeds that germinate quite quickly. Place the papaya pot in a sunny and warm place with a temperature of approx. 24 ° C in summer and 18-24 ° C in winter. In summer, you can put the plant outside.It should be watered frequently (even every day) but with small portions of water. It is also advisable to sprinkle the leaves and feed them with universal fertilizers for potted plants. For autumn and winter, we give up fertilization and reduce the frequency of watering.
Decorative peppers
The ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum), also known as the annual peppercorn, is apotted plant with ornamental fruit that ripens in autumn and winterThis plant grows up to 40-50 cm in height and is erect, branched shoots. The green leaves are oval and pointed, and the flowers appearing in spring are small and white. Depending on the variety, the fruits of ornamental peppers have a spherical or conical shape in intense shades of purple, red, purple, yellow and orange.
Decorative pepper - Capsicum annuum
Fig. pixabay.com
Ornamental peppers should be provided with at least 3-4 hours of direct sunlight a day.A perfect place for this plant will be a window sill with a western or eastern exposure. The plant should be watered when the top layer of the substrate is slightly dry and fed with fertilizer for potted plants every 2 weeks. Decorative pepper grows best at temperatures around 20 ° C.
Coral nightshade
Coral nightshade (Solanum pseudocapsicum) comes from South America. It is a small shrub that grows up to 50 cm in height. Both glossy leaves with slightly wavy edges and white, small, five-petal flowers are decorative. However,the most attention is drawn to the nightshade fruit- round, red or yellow, up to 1.5 cm in diameter. However, be aware that they are poisonous and keep the plant out of the reach of children and pets.
Coral nightshade
Fig. depositphotos.com
Nightshade needs a bright positionbut sheltered from direct sunlight.In summer it feels good outside. However, the winter must be spent in a bright, cool room with a temperature of 8-10 ° C. During the growing season, the plants should be watered and fertilized frequently and abundantly. In spring, after shedding the berries, trim the nightshade and replant it to fresh soil. The best substrate is a mixture of turf or compost soil with peat.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
