British name Pimpon or Pimpu

Sterculiaceae (Sterculiaceae) is a plant of the genus Sterculia, which is native to southern China. It has been cultivated for nearly a thousand years and has been cultivated productively. It is mainly cultivated in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong, and also cultivated in Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan Province and Hainan. It spread to southeast Asia very early, and was planted in courtyards abroad for viewing.

Figure 4-37 Wild Papaya

1. Leaf 2. Fruit

(Li Jianing imitates "Illustration of Chinese Higher Plants Ⅰ")

Evergreen trees, the height of which is 6 ~12m or higher, with obvious trunk. Simple leaves alternate, large leaves, papery, oblong, entire, acute or acuminate at the apex, with extra fine hairs on the back. Panicles are drawn from the axils of the leaves at the apex of the last year's branches, with small pink flowers and a diameter of about 1cm. The calyx fruit is 4 ~ 8 cm long, oval, with beak at the top, crimson at maturity, and cracked on one side, exposing1~ 4 dark brown seeds. The seeds are oval or rectangular, weighing 7 ~10g, with a diameter of about 1.5cm, and are rich in starch (Figure 4-38 and Color Figure 69). Apple loves temperature and humidity, and has strong adaptability. No matter loam, sandy loam or gravelly soil, it can grow and bear fruit in tropical and subtropical areas. However, the deep, fertile and moist soil grows fast and produces high yield. Life span is as long as decades or even hundreds of years. Cutting propagation is the main method, and the planting distance is 7 ~10m. Spring planting is better, and the early spring area can be planted in summer and autumn rainy season. Young trees should be fertilized 4 ~ 6 times a year, trimmed in time, and special attention should be paid to controlling overgrowth and dwarfing plants. Results Flower-promoting fertilizer was applied to trees in winter and spring, mainly complete fertilizer. After fruit picking, apply organic fertilizer combined with quick-acting fertilizer to restore tree vigor and promote new fruiting branches after fruit picking. Apple tree is not drought-tolerant, so proper soil moisture and atmospheric humidity are required in flowering and fruiting period to facilitate flowering and fruiting and fruit development. Attention should be paid to spraying pesticides to prevent insects before flowering and after fruit picking. Usually, it will bear fruit in 6-7 years after planting, and it will reach its full fruit stage in 15 years, and the 30-year-old plant can still bear fruit in 125kg. The fruit under cultivation blooms from March to May and ripens from July to September. The secondary fruit blooms in August ~1October, and the fruit ripens in1February. Harvesting ripe fruits with bamboo hooks, collecting seeds, and drying in the sun to obtain commercial fruits. Apple is rich in protein, sugar, fat and vitamins. The seed contains 4 1.3% water, 0.9% protein, 0.3% fat, 0.2% crude fiber, 0/8.6% sugar, vitamins A and B, and minerals such as phosphorus and calcium. Mature seeds are like egg yolk in color and taste like chestnut. They are delicious when fried or cooked, and can also be used as dessert. At present, the product is in short supply and the price is high, so it is a promising fruit tree.

Figure 4-38 Pingguo

1. Leaves 2. Inflorescences 3. Flowers 4. Infructescence and pods

(painted by Xu Xiaolin)

(Xu Shupei)