Mid-September 2017 Part Deux: Fringe Tree Fruit, Healthy Oregon Grape,Common Evening Primrose

We mentioned the  Fringe tree in the early summer and are now back to see the small purple fruit.  The tree is in the olive family so the fruit is edible.  Like the olive it needs treatment, most commonly pickling before it is useful.  Have you tried olives right off the tree?  The fruit of the Fringe tree is mostly seed so the reward for effort is small.  It is rarely used.

The two pictures are from each of the two trees on either side of the driveway, north west side of Rolandvue.  There are comments on the internet suggesting that the trees need to be of opposite sex, they are dioecious .  I am uncomfortable talking about sex so may leave it there.  It is possible there is another male tree in the area.  Or it may be that fruit is not a definitive sign of female tree, perhaps a sterile seed is possible.  Or there may be another explanation, will discuss with the naturalists. Maybe artificial insemination.

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fruit from both Fringe trees ? both female trees.

As an update the leaves of the Oregon grape which seemed stressed earlier are now a nice bright green.  Every leaf has a story to tell, even if it is just looking normal.  The earlier yellow and red color, a sign of anthrocyanins, may have been a sign of temporary dysfunction.  They now look healthy.

Oregon grape leaf returned to a healthy color from red earlier. (new" adventure" bike intruding)

Another possible new entry is the tall yellow flower across the fence, north side of Rolandvue near the field.  Tentatively I am calling this the common evening primrose, Oenothera biennis.  It is interesting to watch if your walk takes you by there at different times of the day.  The flowers open in the evening as the name suggests and close by noon of the following day.  There are illustrations of a primrose moth online, resting on the flowers in the evening, but not visible as yet.  As usual there are numerous medical uses for the plant and the entire plant is edible at various stages.  The scent is said to be lemony, not too obvious but this was in the morning.

stem and flower of common evening primrose at 9 am.