I have a question about a very strange looking dahlia seedling, with spiky edges to the leaves. Sorry - the photograph is at the limits of resolution of my camera. However, there are a series of "cactus-like" spines (or hairs), about 2 mm long at the moment, extending horizontally outwards from the leaf edges (about 10 in total on each side of the present leaves). The seedling is about 3 cm tall at the moment, and has 4 such leaves. All the other seedlings from the same seed packet look normal. Is it a dahlia, or just something else that sneaked into the packet? In either case, I will continue to grow it, and hopefully be able to provide a better photograph in a week or two. Meanwhile, I regret to announce that my chayote plant (last year's thread) did not survive the winter, even though it was kept reasonably warm after it died back. Thus, I never actually got any fruit from it. Joe
OK - for anyone who is confused, I think (hope) you are talking here about the ex-chayote rather than the dahlia. Mine grew very vigorously in the greenhouse, and produced lots of flowers, resulting in small fruitlets that sadly did not develop into fruit. As far as I understand, they are supposed to be better in the 2nd and 3rd years, but I will not find out unless I can find another fruit in the UK. Good luck! Joe
I'll be transplanting Chayote outside soon. Being as it's a summer squash, i would think it will provide suitable fruit in one season.
The chayote is not really like a squash - closer to the cucumber family - its fruit hang downward from climbing vines, like cucumbers etc. Mine was identified impressively quickly (3 days) on this site from a fruit (after nobody else like the UK Botanic Gardens had managed to do it! - Congratulations to Daniel Mosquin for the site!). See the previous thread (I think it is something like http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=11120&goto=newpost ) for the discussions! Joe
Mine is different from what you describe. Mine is apple green in color and has no spines. Skin is smooth.
From my research last year, there are different varieties in terms of skin colour and the presence or absence of spines (there is a picture of the different types, somewhere in my previous thread - I'll try and locate it and give the reference). However, I think they all grow in the same way - i.e. as climbing vines from which the fruit hang down. Mine (a variety obtained in Bulgaria) covered most of the roof of the greenhouse. n.b. - it would be nice if someone responded to my question about the dahlia seedling, as well! Joe
The picture is part of the thread "Unidentified Fruit" posted by me on Dec 18th 2005. If you search for "chayote" in "plant identification", you should find it easily - it seems to be the only other thread dealing with chayotes. Scroll down several entries, and you will find the picture showing various forms of the fruit, and also indications of its growth habit etc. Joe
