Guavas....

[epicure3]

What a huge mistake. I planted this guava tree last year that was labeled as Tropic Pink. However, the flesh turned out to be white. It flowered earlier this year and bore tons of fruit. The fruit smells so bad, almost like vomit. I muscled one down. It sort of tastes like a pear that was dipped in vomit. The tree is very pretty and has grown like a weed. Still, it has to go. I am going to yank it out next spring. Does anyone have an idea as to why my guavas tastes so bad? They had no problem ripening to a soft, yellow color. What a waste.

[siafu]

  epicure3 said:

What a huge mistake. I planted this guava tree last year that was labeled as Tropic Pink. However, the flesh turned out to be white. It flowered earlier this year and bore tons of fruit. The fruit smells so bad, almost like vomit. I muscled one down. It sort of tastes like a pear that was dipped in vomit. The tree is very pretty and has grown like a weed. Still, it has to go. I am going to yank it out next spring. Does anyone have an idea as to why my guavas tastes so bad? They had no problem ripening to a soft, yellow color. What a waste.

Guavas produce fruit that varies a lot depending on climate and growing conditions.

If I recall, you are on the coast, it just might be too cool for growing guavas properly.

Have you tried other guavas that you like? It is my observation that guavas are not for everybody.

They have a unusual taste that is not instantly likable. Most people, do not insist long enough to start appreciate them.

They do make very good jam.

[epicure3]

That may be true but I am not going to replace it with another guava. The one I have was mislabeled as it is.

[siafu]

  epicure3 said:

That may be true but I am not going to replace it with another guava. The one I have was mislabeled as it is.

How about replacing it with a Black Sapote. This fruit is weird

but can be delicious.

The tree is very handsome. Mature leaves are dark green and new growth

is very light green, producing a contrast that is very attractive in my opinion.

It would go well with the lush garden look you have.

[epicure3]

  siafu said:

  epicure3 said:

That may be true but I am not going to replace it with another guava. The one I have was mislabeled as it is.

How about replacing it with a Black Sapote. This fruit is weird

but can be delicious.

The tree is very handsome. Mature leaves are dark green and new growth

is very light green, producing a contrast that is very attractive in my opinion.

It would go well with the lush garden look you have.

Thanks. I might do that. It is a very nice looking tree as well. Some sapotes do better than others here.

[fastfeat]

I have found guavas to be an acquired taste, even more so a difficulty in tolerance the scent of ripening fruit. Had a big one in Bellflower (20' tall) that had 100+ pounds of fruit yearly. The first ones smelled great, but after a couple of weeks of rotting , dropping fruit, well, vomit is an apt way to describe the scene...

[ariscott]

There a 2 types of guavas that I know. One is the pink flesh (where you can eat the seeds - if you want too) and the other one is the white one with hard seeds inside (looks like a huge solid ball inside the fruit, not edible). The white one is nice too, but you have to eat them when they are not fully ripened and only eat the flesh outside though...

I remember I bought the white one for Scott a few years ago and he opened it. You should see the look on his face... and the comment was "How do you eat this?". I couldn't help myself laughing!!!! Anyway, there are nicer fruit tree out there that you can plant instead.... Will breadfruit grow there??

Regards, Ari

[epicure3]

  ariscott said:

Will breadfruit grow there??

Regards, Ari

No. Breadfruit is not possible here. It is one those ultra tropicals. It is another beautiful tree.

[_Keith]

Pineapple guava is very popular here in Zone 9a and ripens fine in all but the coldest years. I enjoy eating them fresh off of the tree.

But make sure they are ripe. An immature fruit will have you spitting fast.

[epicure3]

  Palmarati said:

Pineapple guava is very popular here in Zone 9a and ripens fine in all but the coldest years. I enjoy eating them fresh off of the tree.

But make sure they are ripe. An immature fruit will have you spitting fast.

Yes, those are great tasting fruit and an awesome looking tree. I learned the hard way.

[JungleGina]

I prefer to eat my guavas (and even papaya and mango) on the greener side--they're not stinky then. Once they get too soft, you might as well make jam.

[DoomsDave]

Pink guavas can be used as a base for soup. Very tasty, especially when cooked with pork, onions and garlic.

[Al in Kona]

A GOOD guava is a delicious fruit. We especially like guava juice and guava jam (jelly) which is very popular in Hawaii. There are quite a few different species grown here. I have one bearing grafted tree called Indonesian white. The fruit gets quite large and is just now starting to ripen some of its fruit but also has many smaller fruits that will ripen later too. Yes, it probably is an aquired taste if you didn't grow up in guava country. I say that because I know several people who found that to be true.

If you don't like the smell of over ripe guava, how about the strong smell of the Durian fruit! Have you experienced that very popular SE Asian fruit?

[bubba]

How about Starfruit or Carambola? I think they would grow well in your climate.I love this fruit and am constantly amazed that more efforts are not made to produce it commercially.

[epicure3]

  bubba said:

How about Starfruit or Carambola? I think they would grow well in your climate.I love this fruit and am constantly amazed that more efforts are not made to produce it commercially.

The Starfruit is a very nice tree, but I am not partial to the fruit.

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

[fastfeat]

  bubba said:

How about Starfruit or Carambola? I think they would grow well in your climate.I love this fruit and am constantly amazed that more efforts are not made to produce it commercially.

Starfruit is making commercial inroads. Seen them for sale at Dade Co Publix stores. Probably locally grown.

[bubba]

How about a Jacoba Tree from Brazil.That is great tasting fruit.

[fastfeat]

  bubba said:

How about a Jacoba Tree from Brazil.That is great tasting fruit.

Jaboticaba? Tasty indeed!

Will grow in milder parts of SoCal, but slower than in FL.

Got to make another trip to Fruit and Spice Park to sample some...

[_Keith]

  fastfeat said:

  bubba said:

How about Starfruit or Carambola? I think they would grow well in your climate.I love this fruit and am constantly amazed that more efforts are not made to produce it commercially.

Starfruit is making commercial inroads. Seen them for sale at Dade Co Publix stores. Probably locally grown.

I planted a small Star Fruit here in Zone 9a. It is only about a 12" tall, but so far so good this winter.

[ariscott]

  epicure3 said:

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

There is no way to describe the smell of Durian... it has been described in all different ways and none of them is accurate... I like them, so I don't mind the smell at all. Also, you would find that the smellier it is, the better the taste...lol.

Anyway, what about cainito? Nice tree.... and yummy fruit. Do they grow for you?

Regards, Ari

[epicure3]

  ariscott said:

  epicure3 said:

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

There is no way to describe the smell of Durian... it has been described in all different ways and none of them is accurate... I like them, so I don't mind the smell at all. Also, you would find that the smellier it is, the better the taste...lol.

Anyway, what about cainito? Nice tree.... and yummy fruit. Do they grow for you?

Regards, Ari

Good question. One I can't answer since I don't know what cainito is. I'll check it out online. Whatever I replace it with, it will have to be a smaller tree due to space consideration. The guava was perfect since it doesn't get too large in these parts. I might just go with a Giant Thai papaya. I really like the large look of that plant. In addition, it only lives for about 5 or 6 years, so I can plant something new again later.

[BigFrond]

Guava are not very good for the soil. This tree will suck up the nutrients in the soil after a couple of years. The tree will produce the biggest fruit in year 3-4. I hate the leaves too because they take a long time to degrade. Therefore, they must be rake like the Hong Kong orchid tree.

[fastfeat]

  epicure3 said:

  ariscott said:

  epicure3 said:

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

There is no way to describe the smell of Durian... it has been described in all different ways and none of them is accurate... I like them, so I don't mind the smell at all. Also, you would find that the smellier it is, the better the taste...lol.

Anyway, what about cainito? Nice tree.... and yummy fruit. Do they grow for you?

Regards, Ari

Good question. One I can't answer since I don't know what cainito is. I'll check it out online. Whatever I replace it with, it will have to be a smaller tree due to space consideration. The guava was perfect since it doesn't get too large in these parts. I might just go with a Giant Thai papaya. I really like the large look of that plant. In addition, it only lives for about 5 or 6 years, so I can plant something new again later.

Cainito, or star apple, Chrysophyllum cainito (Sapotaceae), is unlikely to grow in SoCal. Maybe someone knows of a successful one, but I've never seen it in CA.

[epicure3]

  fastfeat said:

  epicure3 said:

  ariscott said:

  epicure3 said:

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

There is no way to describe the smell of Durian... it has been described in all different ways and none of them is accurate... I like them, so I don't mind the smell at all. Also, you would find that the smellier it is, the better the taste...lol.

Anyway, what about cainito? Nice tree.... and yummy fruit. Do they grow for you?

Regards, Ari

Good question. One I can't answer since I don't know what cainito is. I'll check it out online. Whatever I replace it with, it will have to be a smaller tree due to space consideration. The guava was perfect since it doesn't get too large in these parts. I might just go with a Giant Thai papaya. I really like the large look of that plant. In addition, it only lives for about 5 or 6 years, so I can plant something new again later.

Cainito, or star apple, Chrysophyllum cainito (Sapotaceae), is unlikely to grow in SoCal. Maybe someone knows of a successful one, but I've never seen it in CA.

After doing some Google searches, it appears that some people have, or are, growing it here, but that no tree has ever been known to fruit. It requires heat year-round though it is reliable in zones 10 and 11. So, that would be a waste of time for me.

[Tess]

  ariscott said:

  epicure3 said:

Al, any way to describe the smell of Durian?

There is no way to describe the smell of Durian... it has been described in all different ways and none of them is accurate... I like them, so I don't mind the smell at all. Also, you would find that the smellier it is, the better the taste...lol....

Regards, Ari

Ari,

I've been interested in trying durian since I've heard so much about it, but am afraid that the taste and odor may not go away. I find that onions can linger quite some time even after brushing and using mouth wash, so durian has scared me.

Is it generally eaten by itself or mixed with other fruits?

Thanks

-Tess

[ariscott]

Hi Tess,

No, you don't mix durian with other fruits... It can tend to repeat on you. If you only eat it in small quantity, it should be fine. It is an acquired taste, my other half doesn't mind it now - which is annoying because there is less for me to eat

Regards, Ari

[epicure3]

Another possibility is the Acerola or Barbados Cherry. Great tasting fruit. Even though it is native to the Carribean, it does pretty well in this area. I have one....maybe I'll just move it.