What rare or difficult to get or grow Tropical Fruit do you grow? Or otherwise neato.

[Alan_Tampa]

As of late I have seen several posts related to somewhat uncommon or "impossible to grow here" regarding fruit trees. As an avid collector of said, I would like to hear some more about member's adventures in the ridiculous.

I have tried so many oddball things over the years that many people won't even give a go that when I see someone even mention mangosteen, or durian, or breadfruit I get all tingly. I have tried all three, and discovered they take a little more abuse than advertised. I ended up going to far with all of them but consider it of value to attempt them over and over again.

What have you tried that is generally considered impractical or downright stupid to grow?

Alan

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I tried a Breadfruit in the Deerfield Beach Arboretum. This is a great tree with very attractive foliage that you don't see very often. We planted a large air layered plant in 2006. It was about 5' tall with a very wobbly root system but it had vigorous growth. It grew to about 18' x 18' and was unfazed by the winters until the last two. It was in a highly irrigated area and got a rot into it that would not stop. The tree turned to mush in short order and we removed it.

I think this tree is worth growing for foliage here and possibly fruit if we continue to get 20 years between cold winters.

[Alan_Tampa]

Bill Whitman in Bal Harbor, Miami (Bill Whitman is my fruit hero!) fruited breadfruit a bunch of times at his place. As you said, the foliage is outstanding and worth a grow. I wish more people would try it.

Alan

[Alan_Tampa]

Here's one of my breadfruit from years ago. It got about twice this big before I accidently murdered it.

[Cindy Adair]

Your subheading of "otherwise neato" is the main criteria I've used to select plants! We built a greenhouse attached to our house in Virginia primarily to house my Theobroma cacao (chocolate) tree which was hitting the ceiling inside every winter. So I've always ignored the zones when trying to grow plants! I just learned patience and define success as getting the plant to live without necessarily expecting fruit. Some complete surprises include Cinnamon which has fruited so many times (in a huge pot) that I've given away many seedlings over the years, ultimately giving the largest trees to local botanical gardens. I still have progeny and can visit the trees whenever I want. Jaboticaba and macadamia do well for me and give us a handful of fruit/nuts yearly. I've pollinated vanilla flowers to get a few pods and of course citrus is easy. I've never tried breadfruit (don't know why) but most everything else I could get seed from or a small plant I made room for. I've learned alot about perserverence as well as the plants themselves and didn't know it would lead us to moving to the tropics! Even Florida wouldn't allow us to grow the ultratropicals we love. I do know I'd still have these plants even if I went back to growing inside without a greenhouse. The photos are from 2006. I've downsized now, moving smaller ones to Puerto Rico and keeping only a few of the too large to move trees. I think sending these photos also helped convince the former owner of our farm to sell to us. She could tell we loved plants and would cherish and expand her collection!

[SubTropicRay]

Pouteria sapota (Sapote). It's more cold hardy than I would have believed and doing remarkably well after the last two winters.

Tamarindus indica has also held its own over the last two winters albeit with a bit of a struggle.

[Kumar]

I once tried to grow chikoo (Sapodilla) from seed - not grown in bengal. It germinates easily but for some mysterious reason is very prone to insects and fungus in my garden once the main leaves have emerged. I must have planted about two dozen seeds and all germinated but not a single one managed to grow past the six inch height. That is why it was a surprise when one volunteer emerged from the mulch thrown into a pot housing my Hyophorbe lagenicaulis and has without receiving any "special" care grown 8 inches in the last three months. I am now faced with the ironic task of getting rid of it since i don't want this monopolising the pot at the cost of the palm.

[MattyB]

I was just talking to a California Rare Fruit Growers member and he said that a guy here in San Diego has a fruiting Jackfruit!

[paulgila]

i am growing a breadfruit--veeeerrrryyyyyy slowly

[Cindy Adair]

Mango trees will fruit in a pot for me. The Nam Doc Mai is excellent. Allspice is a wonderful houseplant whose leaves smell great. Coffee is easy and you can brew your own beverage (as long as you only drink about 2 cups per tree per year in Virginia). Miracle fruit is easy and makes fruit all year in a pot. Clove trees in a pot struggle and I can keep them alive only 1-2 years. Annatto is easy to grow but hasn't flowered for me in Virginia yet.Curry tree is easy and makes fruit readily. Nutmeg needs high humidity and is dioecious so I never tried in the states. Tamarind grows well, but hasn't fruited for me in a pot (yet). Noni fruits even when small. Try everything!

[QUINNPALMS]

I HAVE A COUPLE OF FRUITING JABUTICABAS! YUM YUM!

[Growler]

I wish I can grow this tree. It looks like a ficus.

[Growler]

I wish I can grow this tree. It looks like a ficus.

I took this picture at Fairchild Botanical Garden in Florida.

[Matt in SD]

I buy pretty much any fruit tree if it's something I've not had before, or if it's something I've had and liked.

In the ground I have:

Mango, Cherimoya, Atemoya, Ice cream bean (Inga sp.), Hexachlamys edulis, Jackfruit, Lychee, Longan, Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora), Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata) , Loquat, Star Fruit, Butia, Black sapote (Diospyros digyna), Java plum (Syzigium cumini), Wax jambu (Syzigium samarangense), Macadamia, and a bunch of stone fruits, apples, avocado...standard stuff.

In pots almost ready to plant:

Yellow Jaboticaba (Myciaria glazioviana), Blue Jaboticaba (Myciaria vexator), Plinia edulis (Jaboticaba relative, doing very well outside, grown from seed), Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis, I'm very excited about this one...beautiful plant), Pitomba(Eugenia luschnathiana), Sundrop (Eugenia victoriana, not looking too hot after winter), Rata (Garcinia dulcis, VERY slow), Chico sapote (Manilkara zapota), several odd/rare fig species, Bacupari (Garcinia gardneriana, just seedlings), Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

I'd love to grow more Artocarpus and Garcinia, but I'm not convinced that any will actually fruit here. I've seen a "fruiting" jackfruit in Vista, but it's not fruit you'd want to eat. I tried Madrono (Garcinia madruno), very nice plants, and they were dead by December. Also tried Artocarpus hypargyraeus which is supposed to be the most cold hardy, and they all died in the first winter.

As for what's actually good that will grow here, I would say that Lychee and Jaboticaba are my favorite, followed closely by Cherimoya and Mango. Cherry of the Rio Grande is up there as well.

It's funny, I didn't realize what a collection of fruit trees I had until I listed it out here...more than I thought.

Matt

[BS Man about Palms]

Fruit party at Matts!

[Cindy Adair]

I buy pretty much any fruit tree if it's something I've not had before, or if it's something I've had and liked.

In the ground I have:

Mango, Cherimoya, Atemoya, Ice cream bean (Inga sp.), Hexachlamys edulis, Jackfruit, Lychee, Longan, Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora), Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata) , Loquat, Star Fruit, Butia, Black sapote (Diospyros digyna), Java plum (Syzigium cumini), Wax jambu (Syzigium samarangense), Macadamia, and a bunch of stone fruits, apples, avocado...standard stuff.

In pots almost ready to plant:

Yellow Jaboticaba (Myciaria glazioviana), Blue Jaboticaba (Myciaria vexator), Plinia edulis (Jaboticaba relative, doing very well outside, grown from seed), Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis, I'm very excited about this one...beautiful plant), Pitomba(Eugenia luschnathiana), Sundrop (Eugenia victoriana, not looking too hot after winter), Rata (Garcinia dulcis, VERY slow), Chico sapote (Manilkara zapota), several odd/rare fig species, Bacupari (Garcinia gardneriana, just seedlings), Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

I'd love to grow more Artocarpus and Garcinia, but I'm not convinced that any will actually fruit here. I've seen a "fruiting" jackfruit in Vista, but it's not fruit you'd want to eat. I tried Madrono (Garcinia madruno), very nice plants, and they were dead by December. Also tried Artocarpus hypargyraeus which is supposed to be the most cold hardy, and they all died in the first winter.

As for what's actually good that will grow here, I would say that Lychee and Jaboticaba are my favorite, followed closely by Cherimoya and Mango. Cherry of the Rio Grande is up there as well.

It's funny, I didn't realize what a collection of fruit trees I had until I listed it out here...more than I thought.

Matt

What a wonderful collection! Great job!

[Peter]

Hey Matt, which variety of Lychee are you growing?

[Alan_Tampa]

Good to see so many people posting. I'll post a few more of mine this evening.

Alan

[Eric in Orlando]

We have an Artocarpus hypargyreus about 7-8ft tall. Its never fruited yet. It had moderate damage 2 winters ago but none this past winter. Also Artocarpus heterophyllus, about 20ft. It also was damaged 2 years ago but none this past. It fruited several years ago but the fruit dropped once it got to golf ball size. Its never fruited again.

I planted an A. altilis here a few years ago. I wanted to see if it could be grown as a foliage plant, if it would come back from the roots. It survived its first winter. It was about 6ft tall and died back to about 2-3ft. Lowest temperatures were only in the mid 30sF. It grew weakly the next year and died its 2nd winter, never came back from the roots.

Young specimens of Garcinia benthamii and G. intermedia are growing well.

I just planted a Manilkara zapota 'Silas Wood' Its supposed to be a dwarf Sapodilla. Also Plinia glomerata, Cabeluda or Yellow Jaboticaba.

Brosimum alicastrum, Breadnut, has grown well and no damage the past 2 cold winters. Its never fruited yet.

Many other tropical subtropical fruit planted out here; lychee, longan, starfruit, mango, avocado, jaboticaba, white sapote, macadamia, guava, banana, papaya ,pineapple, etc.

[Alan_Tampa]

For Garcinia I recommend G. xanthochymus. Has performed well here in Tampa. Here is wjay 25F does to jakfruit and spondias

Alan

[Alan_Tampa]

I'll have to get a few more pics. Anyone growing Inga?

This is really great. Glad to see the cali guys growing something besides cherimoya and white sapote (both are great, white sapote is a good performer here.)

Fullerton arboretum has a plant they keep calling mangosteen growing. It aint. It is Garcinia xanthochymus Or tinctorias depending on which reference you use. That bad boy is hardy as nails.

Alan

[Matt in SD]

Bill, not much fruit yet. Maybe in 5 years or so, we'll party.

Peter, at our old house we have what I think is Brewster Lychee. No fruit yet, but it's big now, ~12' tall x 12' wide. We have a smaller new one of the same at the new place. Not certain it's Brewster, but it's whatever they have at California Tropical Fruit Tree Nursery, and the fruit off their trees is great, the best SoCal lychee I've had. I also have a "sweetheart" that I'll plant in the next few years, this one is supposedly the cool new variety...fruits quicker than others.

Alan, I'm growing Inga. We have a huge one at our old place and have a seedling from it at the new house. I think the pulp is just OK, but my kids love it. It's also one of the better looking trees year round in SoCal. Super dark green foliage, and marooon new growth. Looks perfect all year. Great canopy tree. I'll see if I can get a Garcinia xanthochymus. There's just something cool about Garcinia in general. I love the thick leaves, and the new growth always has great color. Wish Mangosteen would grow here!

Matt

[Alan_Tampa]

Here's a new leaf of G. xanthochymus:

[Peter]

Matt,

a friend up the street from me planted out a 'sweetheart' Lychee in the fall and it sailed thru winter and is now flowering. Wish I had the room to grow one.

[Alan_Tampa]

sweethearts been around here awhile. I now am digging Hak Ip lychee. Big fruit, strong grower.

Alan

[Alan_Tampa]

apaandssa: you are making me think about getting a place in PR! Your collection is a really good one, good luck with moving everything to PR.

Alan

[Donald Sanders]

I have been growing 2 different cultivars of Rambhutan. At first they were slow, the last year I have been watering them heavily and now they are growing vigorously. I look forward to see how the fruit is. Rambhutan(sp) is becoming a popular garden tree here on the Big Island of Hawaii. The fruit yield varies by the microclimate that the tree is growing in. I was worried that I might be a little too dry here on the west side of Hawaii island. No need to worry now as we are having a wonderful very wet spring, everyday rain. Last week I had 8 inches of rain here in Holualoa at 1500'.

Any one else out there growing Rambhutan?

Aloha, Don Sanders

[Alan_Tampa]

I tried rambutan a few times. Even got seed from the grocery store going. Stupid squirrels. An excellent fruit. Of you started with grafted or air layered plants, fruit should be coming in just a few years. Best of luck.

Alan

[Justin]

At the new place in Pahoa I have planted Mangosteen, Rambutan, Papaya, Guava, Mango, Tahitian Lime, Calimansi (Calomondin) and some other stuff. We'll see how it goes.

[Alan_Tampa]

Mangosteen is the only one you need. Best fruit ever!

[Cindy Adair]

I have been growing 2 different cultivars of Rambhutan. At first they were slow, the last year I have been watering them heavily and now they are growing vigorously. I look forward to see how the fruit is. Rambhutan(sp) is becoming a popular garden tree here on the Big Island of Hawaii. The fruit yield varies by the microclimate that the tree is growing in. I was worried that I might be a little too dry here on the west side of Hawaii island. No need to worry now as we are having a wonderful very wet spring, everyday rain. Last week I had 8 inches of rain here in Holualoa at 1500'.

Any one else out there growing Rambhutan?

Aloha, Don Sanders

Rambutan grows well in Puerto Rico! The fruit is beautiful and delicious! When asked to choose which fruit is better,mangosteen or rambutan, our son says rambutan and I can't choose...

[Palms1984]

Here's a new leaf of G. xanthochymus:

Wow! What an incredible leaf! I originally fell in love with this plant when I saw one growing at Fullerton Arboretum. It was after the very cold weather of January of 2007. The plant was not damaged from cold.

Here's a photo which was taken in August of 2007.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Palms1984

[Palms1984]

Here's a new leaf of G. xanthochymus:

Wow! What an incredible leaf! I originally fell in love with this plant when I saw one growing at Fullerton Arboretum. It was after the very cold weather of January of 2007. The plant had some slight damage from cold.

Here's a photo which was taken in August of 2007.

[rprimbs]

I was just talking to a California Rare Fruit Growers member and he said that a guy here in San Diego has a fruiting Jackfruit!

Yeah Matt that's Paul Fisher in El Cajon. He even had a coconut tree growing out near the road. He sells trees and advertises on Craigslist. He calls his place Merritt Mountain nursery and his phone number is 619-322-4141, if you'd like to check his place out or buy some fruit trees.