Interesting readings

We love to learn and be inspired by people who’ve dedicated themselves to the study of agroecology, orcharding and, of course, the wonderful world of subtropical or rare fruit trees. In this page, you’ll find a few of the books and websites/blogs which have most influenced our life and work at Orchard of Flavours edible botanical garden.

Do you have a favourite book or web resource on subtropical fruit trees which we haven’t mentioned? Please feel free to send your suggestion our way, by sending us an email to miguel@orchardofflavours.com.

Fruits of Warm Climates

Julia F. Morton

In one definitive volume, Morton explores the world of tropical and subtropical fruit, providing information on the history of the plants, cultivation techniques, food and alternative uses, nutrition, varieties, and much more. Written in a professional yet accessible voice, Fruits of Warm Climates is a must-have for anyone interested in tropical horticulture.

It masterfully packages the essential information on familiar and not-so-familiar tropical fruit. With over 400 pages containing hundreds of images, the volume is overflowing with information on countless varieties of fruits. Years after its original publication, Fruits of Warm Climates remains a leading text on the subject and the pinnacle work of economic botanist Julia F. Morton.

You Can Grow Tropical Fruit Trees

Robert Mohlenbrock

No citrus here, but lots of other fruits: mango, papaya, avocado... In Florida there's a cornucopia of ornamental, edible delights! Botanist Robert Mohlenbrock shows you how to grow them in your own backyard. Contains illustrations and instructions on how to grow, prune and fertilize these living treasures.

Finding the Mother Tree

Suzanne Simard

In her first book, Simard brings us into her world, the intimate world of the trees, in which she brilliantly illuminates the fascinating and vital truths — that trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp, but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life; that forests are social, cooperative creatures connected through underground networks by which trees communicate their vitality and vulnerabilities with communal lives not that different from our own.

Simard writes — in inspiring, illuminating, and accessible ways — about how trees, living side by side for hundreds of years, have evolved, how they perceive one another, learn and adapt their behaviors, recognize neighbors, and remember the past; how they have agency about the future; elicit warnings and mount defenses, compete and cooperate with one another with sophistication — and at the center of it all, the Mother Trees: the mysterious, powerful forces that connect and sustain the others that surround them.

Something else Suzanne Simard talks about is something we’re quite familar with, here at the Orchard of Flavours, and that is the wonderfully magical connections that happen between trees and mycorrhizal fungi.

Sub-Tropical Fruit Club of Qld Inc.

(Website)

Hailing from Australia and containing a wealth of information, the STFC — or Sub-Tropical Fruit Club of Queensland Inc. — promotes the growing and use of rare, unusual, and common types of fruit trees, bush food, and vegetables.

Several articles in their Articles section are quite interesting and a very worthwhile read indeed. We liked the ones on Fruiting Cactus and on Soil – Testing Your Soil’s Organic Matter, as well as the plant profiles on trees and shrubs such as Acerola Cherry, American Pawpaw, Moringa oleifera and a more broad one on Eugenias – South American Berries.

Another area worth checking on stfc.org.au is the Tips section. Have fun while learning about exciting plants!

The Light Eaters

Zoë Schlanger

The Light Eaters, by Zoë Schlanger, explores the concept of plant intelligence, delving into how plants interact with their environment and what these interactions reveal about their potential cognitive abilities. The book challenges widely held assumptions, offering an enlightening narrative that fascinates and provokes thought on the biological creativity and adaptive strategies of plants.

Taming Fruit

Bernd Brunner

In Taming Fruit, Bernd Brunner explores the deep historical relationship between humans and fruit, illustrating how orchards have transformed landscapes and cultures throughout history. Interestingly, the book starts by saying that fruit trees are not wild trees but our "pets." Over centuries, humans have cultivated and tamed these trees, shaping them according to our needs and desires.

Plant Love

Michael Allaby

Plant Love, by Michael Allaby reveals the surprising and complex reproductive strategies of plants, highlighting how species like bee orchids and avocado flowers employ unique methods to ensure pollination and survival. The book uncovers the fascinating world of botanical reproduction, explaining how plants use deception and transformation in ways that rival the animal kingdom's most intriguing behaviors.