Kangaroo Apple - Solanum Laciniatum - Edible & Ornamental
Quantity: 10 Seeds
Kangaroo Apple, aka Solanum Laciniatum, is a fruit producing plant in the solanaceae (nightshade) family. It's a relatively unknown plant here in North America, but is quite common in Australia and New Zealand. The vigorous and hardy plant grows quickly, and produces an abundance of beautiful and (subjectively) delicious fruits. The fruits taste very sweet, a little bit tangy, and unique. Although the unripe fruits are toxic, much like many nightshades, they're completely edible and delicious when fully mature. It's easy to know when the fruits are ripe because they turn dark orange, and fall onto the ground. The plants are perennial in zone 9 and higher, but do very well grown as an annual in other regions.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
Growing Instructions
For the highest yields, It’s best to start Kangaroo Apple seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost; we start them here on the farm in mid March. It's good to sow them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/8 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. A heat mat greatly aids in this step, but is not necessary. Seeds can take up to 3 weeks to germinate, but may take less time too. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 8°C or higher; for us, this is around early May, but they are quite resilient, so can be planted out early without sacrificing yields later on in the season.