Dear Master Gardener: My friend and I are debating about whether a tomato is a vegetable or a fruit. She thinks it’s a fruit because it has seeds, but I pointed out that cucumbers and zucchini have seeds and they’re vegetables. Please settle this for us.
Answer: You are both correct in a way — tomatoes are fruits that are considered vegetables. A great explanation comes from Aaron Steil, a horticulturist from Iowa State University Extension. He says, “There are different ways to classify or categorize plants and plant structures. We eat many plant parts including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruit. The root is the edible portion of carrots, radishes, beets and parsnips. Asparagus is an example of a stem that is consumed. Plants grown for their edible leaves include lettuce and spinach. The flower is the edible portion of broccoli and cauliflower. Corn is an example of a seed that is eaten. Edible fruits include melons, apples, pears, green beans, peppers and many others.
“The term ‘fruit’ has more than one definition. In common usage, a fruit is a plant part that is used chiefly in desserts. In contrast, a vegetable is defined as a plant part eaten with the principal part of the meal. That plant part could be a leaf, stem, root, seed, flower or fruit. This makes snap beans, carrots, and spinach vegetables, while apples and cherries are fruit. By this definition, the tomato is a vegetable in that it is usually consumed during the main meal.
“Botanically, a fruit is defined as any plant part with seeds inside it that formed from a ripened ovary (or would have seeds inside of it if it were not a seedless variety). Therefore, apples, cucumbers, cherries, peppers, and watermelons are botanically defined as a fruit. By this definition, the edible tomato is a fruit since it developed from a flower and has seeds inside it.
“Therefore, the tomato is both a fruit and a vegetable, depending on which context (common usage vs. botanically) you are talking about.”
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Dear Master Gardener: I purchased a Christmas cactus last week that had lots of buds. I placed it in my kitchen window and all the buds fell off. I am guessing that the window was too cold or I overwatered it. What caused the buds to fall off? Should I throw the plant away now?
Answer: The Christmas cactus is a succulent that is native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil. These plants grow in the branches of tropical trees where it is very humid and shaded — quite a different habitat from our cool, dry Minnesota homes! Here are some of the reasons why flower buds may fall off a Christmas cactus: drafts or sudden changes in temperature, not enough or too much water, dry conditions, and/or exposure to direct sunlight. Just moving these beautiful plants to your home can cause bud drop. So, it’s likely that your Christmas cactus buds fell off because of the sudden change in temperature — going from the warm, ideal conditions of a greenhouse to a cool, dry house. If your Christmas cactus received direct sunlight on your window ledge that also can result in buds dropping. These plants need light, but diffused light is best. Although they are a succulent, they need more water than a typical succulent/cactus.
Don’t throw the plant away! Although you won’t get flowers this year if all the buds fell off, a Christmas cactus is a long-lived plant and you will get flowers in the future if you provide the right conditions. I have a friend who has had her Christmas cactus for 25 years!
Dear Master Gardener: I received a gift of a lucky bamboo plant in a glass cylinder filled with pebbles and water. Is this really bamboo? How do I care for it?
Answer: Lucky bamboo is not really bamboo as its name suggests — it is Dracaena sanderiana. It is often given as a gift, especially a housewarming gift, because it is a symbol of good luck and happiness. It is well known for its use in creating Feng Shui. Lucky bamboo can be trained into different shapes, such as a swirl, braid, or other interesting designs, making it quite decorative.
It is a very easy plant to care for. Keep your lucky bamboo plant in low to medium light, out of direct sunlight. Since yours is growing in water, make sure to always keep the roots covered with water. Replace the water every seven to 10 days to prevent algae from forming. If you have city water with chlorine, let the water sit out overnight so the chlorine can evaporate before watering your lucky bamboo. If you have high levels of fluoride in your tap water, use filtered or distilled water because fluoride does not evaporate and can harm that particular plant. Lucky bamboo is toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach from your pets.
Dear Master Gardener: A couple leaves fell off my jade plant. Can I propagate them to make more plants?
Answer: It is common for jade plants to drop their leaves. Sometimes a leaf will fall onto the soil and start a new plant without you even knowing it. Yes, you can easily propagate another plant from the fallen leaf. It is important to make sure that the entire leaf is intact. Let it sit out for a few days to form a callus. Then, fill a small pot with well-draining potting mix and place the leaf on top. Water thoroughly. Let the soil dry out between watering sessions.
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You may get your garden questions answered by calling the new Master Gardener Help Line at 218-824-1068 and leaving a message. A Master Gardener will return your call. Or, emailing me at umnmastergardener@gmail.com and I will answer you in the column if space allows.
University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners are trained and certified volunteers for the University of Minnesota Extension. Information given in this column is based on university research.
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