Mackerel is a deciduous tree or shrub native to the southern regions of North America. It is named after the American geologist William Maclur. This tree came to Europe as an ornamental plant planted in parks. It is a dioecious plant belonging to the silkworm family. Mackerel grows as a tree with a low trunk, or as a shrub with a dense crown in our conditions growing to 5 meters, occasionally even more. The twigs have up to 2.5 cm long thorns, thanks to which it was often used in its homeland as a hedge. The broadly elliptical leaves are glossy on the top - waxy, hairy on the bottom, similar to young shoots. It blooms only after foliage, usually in late May or June. Male plants form lattice inflorescences on the longer stem. The flowers on the female trees are grouped in dense spherical heads. After pollination, globular arteries containing a number of seeds develop on the female tree. However, on female trees, the fruits can be formed even without pollination (parthenocarpic), but in this case they do not contain seeds. Large spherical conglomerates ripen in autumn. After the injury, a white liquid escapes from them, which can cause an allergic reaction in more sensitive people in contact with the skin. The fruits are inedible!
Slovak
Czech
Hungarian
German
