Any fruit trees good companion plants for palms, cycads, plumeria, bromeliads?

[rprimbs]

I have one avocado planted above several palms on my hillside and I was going to work another 3 in, but Axel wrote on his forum that avocados have dense surface roots and need to be allowed their leaf litter in order to produce fruit. And that is true from what I've seen. I am surrounded by avocado groves and little if anything grows underneath them. So I think that I should probably move the one I've got planted there -- it's growing okay, but not producing anything, and several of the palms around it mysteriously died.

I don't think that citrus is a good choice either, since it is a heavy feeder and doesn't seem to like to compete with other plants. And mangoes have the reputation of killing everything under them.

But how about persimmons? Could I grow them along with the palms, cycads, and plumeria?? Maybe they could provide a little "canopy" during the summer -- and a little more light during the winter when they are dormant?

I have a jabaticaba near a couple of palms and it seems to be a reasonable companion plant.

[Kostas]

Deciduous trees are trouble as canopy trees as they make the understory grow nice,shade leafs and then they get zapped by the hot March sun...if they haven't already got damaged by the frost the leafless tree left fall on them... I am in the process of replacing the last deciduous tree I actually wanted to keep,cause most things are unhappy under it from frost and sun damage prior to it leading out. A nice Stenocarpus sinuatus, Ficus benghalensis and Schefflera actinophylla are replacing it and as soon as they give enough canopy,it will be taken down. Deciduous trees are only nice for breaks in a tall canopy,there they don't affect understory plants too much,especially when they themselves are under higher evergreen canopy. That's how I am planting my Plumerias to not affect the understory.

Also know that persimmon trees are very high water need trees to grow and fruit well. Mine grew awesome with the high water table and it was one I hated having to remove. But most persimmon trees I see planted elsewhere without the high water table and without plenty of irrigation,look awful and stunted.

I haven't found trees to be trouble for palms, even aggressive rooted and really fast growing ones, much less small trees like Citrus,olive,etc. But I got a shallow water table providing for their needs. I think you will be fine leaving the Avocado where it is and planting whatever palms you want around it as long as you strive to keep everything under it wet for the growing season. Don't let them fight for water(where most trees will win easily any small,not much drought tolerant palm)but provide it freely for them all. That way,the tree roots are a great advantage as they prevent the palm from rotting and add structure to the soil,and both the tree and palms love it and grow as fast as ever! But trying to lengthen the time between watering,leads to trouble in high competition environments(and rainforests,which we love for their diversity and close plant spacing,are really high competition environments,but they exist and thrive with plenty or rain and moist,or better described,soggy soil).

I would say plant everything you like as fruit trees,planning any deciduous ones correctly it to cause the issues I mentioned,and keep the understory moist almost at all times for the growing season!

[redbeard917]

For what it's worth, I have deciduous American persimmons on my property growing naturally, as well as one dwarf Japanese persimmon (which is on American persimmon rootstock). They do not have invasive roots in my observation. I have some plants growing more or less underneath, like lantana, coontie (native Zamia sp.), lots of weeds, Opuntia, etc., with no issue.

The only thing I don't like about them is they are occasionally affected by insect pests. Not sure if that would be true in other areas.

The leaves and fruits of the native persimmon are so similar to the Japanese species, I'd have a hard time telling them apart if I hadn't planted the latter tree myself. Except, of course, the native fruits are much smaller--not quite as large as a ping pong ball. They are soft when ripe, unlike grocery store persimmons I've had, and taste pretty good as long as you spit the seeds out, because there is some bitterness there.

If you don't mind deciduous trees in your garden, pawpaws are supposed to be attractive and even tropical-looking as well. I don't have any personal experience with them though.

Citrus aren't really great for gardening under because they're really a giant shrub. Low branches and deep shade. Persimmons are more of a tree. They can be limbed up and have a canopy that allows understory plants to grow.

[rprimbs]

I think I will move the avocado that I have planted among the palms to different area and let the leaf litter collect below it and I will try persimmons among the palms. Even though they are deciduous I think that they will work out. The plumeria are deciduous too. The avocado's will be the bigger trees and the plumeria the smaller.

[Mandrew968]

  On 9/27/2014 at 10:27 AM, rprimbs said:

I have one avocado planted above several palms on my hillside and I was going to work another 3 in, but Axel wrote on his forum that avocados have dense surface roots and need to be allowed their leaf litter in order to produce fruit. And that is true from what I've seen. I am surrounded by avocado groves and little if anything grows underneath them. So I think that I should probably move the one I've got planted there -- it's growing okay, but not producing anything, and several of the palms around it mysteriously died.

I don't think that citrus is a good choice either, since it is a heavy feeder and doesn't seem to like to compete with other plants. And mangoes have the reputation of killing everything under them.

But how about persimmons? Could I grow them along with the palms, cycads, and plumeria?? Maybe they could provide a little "canopy" during the summer -- and a little more light during the winter when they are dormant?

I have a jabaticaba near a couple of palms and it seems to be a reasonable companion plant.

I was gonna say jaboticaba.

[KennyRE317]

i have a few papayas going but i like the foliage on them and they don't take up much space. i'm using them for light canopy and they're growing quick,

[DoomsDave]

Hmm.

Fruit trees and palms, maybe a problem, maybe not.

My big problem is that there's too many palms, and they shade out the fruit trees. Most fruit trees really have to have sun.

Avocados make HEAVY shade, which many palms hate, too dark. Also, too much water might rot the 'cados. They spread really wide, though they can be trimmed. Maybe PM gtlevine; he raises them, or used to.

Papayas work great, as they get tall (eventually too tall to harvest) and don't take up much room. They're not really trees, but who really cares? Make sure drainage is perfect.

[ghar41]

I have a hardy guava, Mexican Creme, with white flesh...growing well with palms. Makes a lot of fruit every year. Not my favorite tasting...but my wife and kids like them.

[_Keith]

I have not had an issue with Citrus next to palms.

[KennyRE317]

  On 10/1/2014 at 6:49 PM, DoomsDave said:

Hmm.

Fruit trees and palms, maybe a problem, maybe not.

My big problem is that there's too many palms, and they shade out the fruit trees. Most fruit trees really have to have sun.

Avocados make HEAVY shade, which many palms hate, too dark. Also, too much water might rot the 'cados. They spread really wide, though they can be trimmed. Maybe PM gtlevine; he raises them, or used to.

Papayas work great, as they get tall (eventually too tall to harvest) and don't take up much room. They're not really trees, but who really cares? Make sure drainage is perfect.

i'm hoping the papayas grow tall, and they grow so quick especially in the ground with lots of heat. my 6' Dysis lanceolata is going to love the bit of shade it'll get from the papayas. there's also dwarf papayas that will grow to about 7' or so but i haven't looked into it more i just love the fact that they take up no room and instant light canopy

[Matt in SD]

I have quite a few fruit trees mixed in with palms. Generally I don't mix the fully deciduous trees with palms too much. But there are lots of good tropicals that mix well... Never heard that issue with mangos and I have them growing near palms. Maybe in a Hawaii, where the mangos get huge, but in SoCal I don't really think you run much risk of a mango taking over.

Lychee

Longan

Cherimoya

Jaboticaba (normal/black, blue, and yellow)

Guava

Mango

Eugenia (just about any species, but Surinam cherry and Cherry of the Rio Grande are my favorites)

Chico sapote

Black sapote

Wax jambu

Garcinia and Rheedia species (haven't gotten fruit of any of these yet, but they grow and look nice)

Ice cream bean (inga species. These are pretty aggressive growers and are a bit messy, but make great consistent shade for understory palms)

Matt

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

  On 10/7/2014 at 2:54 AM, ghar41 said:

I have a hardy guava, Mexican Creme, with white flesh...growing well with palms. Makes a lot of fruit every year. Not my favorite tasting...but my wife and kids like them.

Glenn, that's actually tropical guava that I gave you.

Surprizingly how much cold it does take.

My wife made jam out of the fruit.

We keep the ripening fruit in double sealed containers outdoors.

The smell is over powering to me!

Lol