Speaking of cleaning up, I cut a few branches from the gumi tree (elaeagnus multiflora) today. It was hanging a little over the deck blocking Baba's laundry. (I'm in charge of the garden since Jiji, grandfather, died almost three years ago.)
I was surprised to see one gumi ("gu" rhymes with "shoe" and "mi" rhymes with "me") on one of the branches. The birds usually eat all of them. Have you ever seen this tree? I never had until I came here, and I don't know its name in English. The branches are the color of copper, and they glisten. The back of the leaves are silvery, and they glisten, too. I have dried them in the past to use at Christmas for decoration.
I have never eaten a gumi. There are so few of them left for us that my children get them all. I asked my son what they taste like and he said they're sour. They are a little rough on the outside. They are red with yellow spots. Those spots are not seeds. There is a small seed inside.
By the way, I didn't burn the branches. I put them in the appropriate color coded plastic bag for garbage day next Monday.
2 comments:
The tree sounds a bit like an Amer Chokecherry. My parents grow them in their garden because of the beautiful coppery bark. I'll ask them if it gets berries such as these.
I see you are using Blogger. Any chance you will go into the settings and turn on the RSS feed so that your posts will appear in my aggregator? I am preparing to move to Singapore and so my mind is busy and I may forget to check your blog if it doesn't come to me automatically.
Susan, thanks. Good to have a lead on the name of the tree. I'm looking into turning on the RSS. Actually, I thought I had it. All suggestions are welcomed. Any help too!! Like is this blog in the right place? I'd like kids to know about it!
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