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Milberger's Nursery and Landscaping
3920 North Loop 1604 E.
San Antonio, TX 78247
210.497.3760
nursery@milbergersa.com

Open 9 to 6 Mon. through Sat.
and 10 to 5 on Sun.



Three exits east of 281, inside of 1604
Next to the Diamond Shamrock station
Please click map for more detailed map and driving directions.


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QUESTION: Male bloom produces a fruit --Can it produce a fruit?

ANSWER: I have seen Papaya male blooms produce a fruit and C.D. Perego at:http://www.webspawner.com/users/cdperego/index.html sends these images with the write-up which reads:

After growing large martin house gourds for 12 years from the same seed line, some of my gourds have borne small seedless gourds at a few of the pollinator flowers. They Form at the bottom of the Calyx as if the flower was a seed producer instead of a pollinator that has no style and stigma. Dissection reveals that only anthers are present in the type flowers that make a fruit. These pollinator flowers produced gourds are very small , but very hard shelled . ranging in size from about 1 or 2 inches diameter to about 3 or 4 inches diameter, they have for the first time been produced by my bottle gourds this year. They are hollow when dry, but contain a pulp while growing .

I don't believe its unheard of ; just somewhat rare. The pollinator flowers that will produce the curious fruit develop a bulbous portion just above the top of the stem at the bottom of the calyx If undisturbed this bulb grows into a small gourd after the flower withers . The bottom part of the calyx doesn't wither. Inside the bulb there has already formed a globular container(the young tender shell) that is complete extending under the nectar area and is full of pulp that later becomes placental -like, but no sign of ovules can be seen . I have found that the soft, tender shell is formed before the flower has opened and becomes hard and durable with a scar where the flower had been .