Why is the nipplefruit also called "five generations under one roof" and "golden fruit"

Aliases: five generations under one roof, golden fruit, five sons paying birthday respects

Family and genus: an evergreen small shrub of the genus Solanum in the family Solanaceae

Morphological characteristics:

The fruit of the nipplefruit is golden yellow with a peculiar shape; its flowering and fruiting period is summer and autumn, and the fruiting period is long, especially after leaf fall in early winter, because its fruit does not change color or shrink, making it unique and attractive.

It is an upright branching small shrub, usually grown as an annual, with a plant height of 0.5--1.5 m, relatively sparse leaves, and the whole plant covered with waxy yellow flat spines. Its flowering and fruiting period is summer and autumn; before flowering, the flower buds often droop, and when fully open they are slightly upright, with 5 purple petals spreading out like a five-pointed star, and yellow cone-shaped anthers seated at the center, glinting and shimmering. Bees and butterflies are the main agents of pollination for the nipplefruit. When the flowers fall and the fruit appears, the skin of the small nipplefruit is still dark green, and as it grows it gradually turns orange-yellow, hanging on the branches like little lanterns. The fruit is like an upside-down pear, and its golden yellow waxy quality often makes it hard to tell real from fake. What is especially peculiar is that the base of the fruit has nipple-like protrusions, either like a nipple head, or like fingers, or like ox horns, and some even describe them as resembling a family of five generations sitting together chatting about everything under the sun.

The nipplefruit gets its name because its fruit shape closely resembles a breast. It also has other aliases such as five-generation fruit, happy fruit, and golden fruit. It is a small shrub of the genus Solanum in the family Solanaceae, often cultivated as an annual plant, with a plant height of about 1 m, bearing prickles, and the whole plant covered with short pubescence. The leaves are opposite, broadly ovate, 10 to 15 cm long, with irregular short blunt lobes along the margins. The flowers are solitary or several gathered into axillary cymes, with a 5-lobed corolla, blue-purple. The berry is conical, about 5 cm long, with a waxy, glossy skin, golden yellow or orange-yellow, blunt at the apex, and with 3 to 5 nipple-like protrusions at the base. The fruiting ornamental period of the nipplefruit is very long, from September to March of the following year. Especially after leaf fall in winter, the abundant golden yellow fruits are dazzling and eye-catching. The whole branches can be cut and placed in a vase for fruit viewing, or the fruits can be picked and placed on a table, creating a lively atmosphere.

Place of origin:

The nipplefruit is native to the tropical regions of the Americas

Growth habits:

It prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight and is not cold-tolerant. It has no strict requirements for soil, but grows better in deep, loose, and fertile soil. It is generally propagated by sowing in spring, and after sowing the soil covering should be about 2 times the diameter of the seed. Keep the soil moist regularly; after seedlings emerge, provide slight shade, then gradually increase light. When the seedlings are about 15 cm tall, they can be divided and planted in pots or in the ground. After the newly planted plants have 5 to 7 days of shading to recover, they should be placed outdoors in a sunny place for care, and even in midsummer they do not need shading. During the growing period, water thoroughly to keep the soil moist, but waterlogging should be avoided. During fruit set, watering should be reduced to prevent excessive water from causing excessive vegetative growth of branches and leaves, resulting in flower drop and reduced fruit set rate. Apply once a week with decomposed cake fertilizer water, and after flowering and fruit set, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to provide sufficient nutrients so that the fruit shape is neat and the color is pure.

Uses:

The nipplefruit has a peculiar fruit shape and a fruit-viewing period of up to half a year, and it is also a high-quality material for flower arranging.

Besides being ornamental, the fruit of the nipplefruit can also be used medicinally. It has the effects of reducing inflammation and relieving pain, and dissipating blood stasis and reducing swelling. It is mainly used for heart and stomach qi pain, lymphatic tuberculosis, abscesses in the armpit, and other conditions.