This tree went in on what might have been the single strangest day of the entire project, which feels appropriate since it’s a pretty strange tree itself.
The Basics
Candle tree, also called guajilote, is a small ornamental tree that flowers directly on its trunk, similar to durian and cacao.
Origin and Habitat
Native to Central America, grown as an ornamental and minor fruit tree in warm, humid lowland conditions.
What It Looks Like
Cauliflorous like its trunk-flowering relatives, producing long, yellow, cucumber-like fruit that hangs directly off the trunk and branches.
Uses and Flavor
The fruit is juicy and fibrous with a flavor that’s been compared to sugar cane.
Growing It Here
Got this one from Ken Love on a day that started with Hilary and a friend kayaking back with an ahi and a large ono, moved on to smoking bacon-wrapped duck we’d slaughtered days earlier, included finding a neighbor’s escaped pet turtle wandering our driveway, and ended with Julia bringing home a stray kitten. I buried the fish guts from the morning’s catch right in the planting hole, so this tree got a genuinely well fed start. It’s still growing, but needs more sunlight than it’s currently getting to really take off.
Pests and Diseases to Watch For
Nothing to report yet.
Kenta’s Take
Some trees get planted on ordinary days and some get planted on days you’ll actually remember years later. This was very much the latter, and it’s still out there quietly waiting on more light to match the memory.