Tsifomandra

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Cyphomandra (lat. Cyphomandra betacea) –Exotic vegetable culture; plant of the Solanaceae family. Other names are Tamarillo, Tamarillo or Tomato tree. The birthplace of the plant is considered to be Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile, although the exact origin has not yet been determined. The crop is widely cultivated in Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, as well as in the mountainous regions of Guatemala, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

Characteristics of culture

Tsifomandra is a low-growing evergreen shrub or tree up to 3 m high. The leaves are large, alternate, oval or heart-shaped, slightly pubescent, with shine. The flowers are white with a pink tint, with a five-membered calyx, collected in large inflorescences of 30-50 pieces each, have a pleasant rich aroma. The fruit is a two-chambered egg-shaped berry, about 5-10 cm long, collected in clusters of 3-12 pieces.

The peel of the fruit is quite hard, orange, orange-red, yellow, less often purple, bitter. The pulp is golden-pink, sweet-sour-salty, taste like tomato juice with the aroma of tropical fruits. The seeds are outwardly similar to tomato seeds, differ only in size and the presence of a gray bloom. One bush or tree can live up to 15 years. Tsifomandra begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting. The annual harvest of cyfomandra fruits from one bush is 15-20 kg.

Growing conditions

In central Russia, the cultivation of cyphermandra is possible only in heated greenhouses, greenhouses and indoor rooms. In the Moscow region, the culture quite easily adapts to new conditions, therefore it can grow in open ground, provided that it is kept in a greenhouse for winter. It is impossible to call a cold-resistant cyphermandra, although some specimens can withstand frosts down to -4C without any problems. And even with the death of the leaves, the growth of shoots resumes from the buds located in the axils of the leaves. Plants are picky about lighting, they are negative about shadows. The soils are preferably drained, moisture-consuming, with a rich mineral composition. The culture of waterlogged, waterlogged and acidic soils does not accept.

Reproduction and planting

In indoor conditions, cyfomandra is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seeds are collected from the pulp of the fruit, washed thoroughly, dried on gauze and placed in the refrigerator for a day. Then the seeds are sown in nutritious soil or fertilized garden soil, fine-grained sand can be added to the substrate. Seeds germinate at 25C, usually 15-20 days. At first, seedlings develop very slowly, actively plants begin to develop in 1, 5-2 months. After about a year, the plants reach a height of 90-100 cm. Once every three months, the size of the container is increased by 2.5-3 m.

When the culture is propagated by cuttings, the planting material is cut from fruiting shoots. Each stalk must have at least three buds. Cuttings are planted in a 1 liter container, leaving one bud above the soil surface. Immediately after planting, the soil is watered abundantly, covered with polyethylene and placed on a windowsill or any other intensely lit place without direct sunlight. As soon as the cuttings take root, they are planted in a permanent place, slightly buried in the soil.

Care

Tsifomandra needs regular feeding - at least 1 time per month. Watering is carried out in moderation, waterlogging is highly undesirable, drying out should also not be allowed. In the winter season, watering and feeding is reduced, since the plants stop growing, but provide additional lighting.