A Detailed Guide to the Pruning Methods and Key Techniques for Chicken-Heart Fruit

Chicken-heart fruit is a plant in the family Stemonuraceae (formerly placed in Icacinaceae) and the genus Platea, generally growing in forests, villages, grasslands and other areas at altitudes of 1150-1770 m, so what are the pruning methods for chicken-heart fruit?

1. Growth habits of chicken-heart fruit

Chicken-heart fruit is also called manban tree, narrow-calyx pouch fruit, etc. Its Chinese scientific name is Dian ciran (Platea latifolia), and its main distribution area is the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan. It can be used for ornamental purposes, and its fruit can also be harvested and eaten.

The chicken-heart fruit tree is robust with thick leaves, is cold-resistant and drought-tolerant, has beautiful fruit shape, and its taste is sweet, fragrant and crisp with a certain acidity. As an ornamental plant it also has great development prospects.

2. Pruning methods for chicken-heart fruit

During the growing season, topping and pinching should be carried out so that the plant can sprout more side branches. Then, poorly developed, diseased and weak branches should also be cut off so that the other branches grow more robustly. After the flowering period ends, spent flowers and dead branches should also be cut off.

3. What is the difference between chicken-heart fruit and apples?

The differences between chicken-heart fruit and apples are:

1. Different sizes: the fruit of the chicken-heart fruit is relatively small and delicate, while apple fruits are somewhat larger;

2. Different shapes: apples are generally round, while chicken-heart fruit closely resembles a chicken heart and has a shape similar to an ellipse;

3. Different times to market: different apple varieties do not necessarily have the same time to market, while chicken-heart fruit generally comes to market around September each year;

4. Different prices: as a fruit generally less common than apples, chicken-heart fruit is valued for its rarity, and its price is also somewhat higher than that of apples, generally around 15 yuan per jin.