Genipa americana.

[siafu]

 Hi,
 
 I have a Genipa americana that is blooming for the first time.
 
 It has never thrived in my climate and often takes a hit when there's a cold wave with
 near freezing temperatures. Still, it manages to recover and has gained some size over the years,
 although it is rather spindly. Today, I noticed it has some yellow flowers in a couple of
 branches.

 Does anyone know if it needs a companion to set fruit?

 --sérgio

[Miguel.pt]

Olá Sérgio

Don't have the answer to your question but decided to log in just to say Hi and congratulate you on another big achievement.
Never heard of a Jenipapo flowering or fruiting in Europe...congratulations!

I do remember that once I also received seeds of this from Helton but don't remember what I've done with the trees... probably all dead now... was this one of the trees I gave you back in 2006?... I really don't remember what I've done with those trees.

I have here the Artocarpus I promised you earlier but unfortunately I did not went to Algarve this summer... I will find another way to send you one and another for JL.
 
Take care and have a nice day
Miguel

 

[fruitlovers]

 Hi,
 
 I have a Genipa americana that is blooming for the first time.
 
 It has never thrived in my climate and often takes a hit when there's a cold wave with
 near freezing temperatures. Still, it manages to recover and has gained some size over the years,
 although it is rather spindly. Today, I noticed it has some yellow flowers in a couple of
 branches.

 Does anyone know if it needs a companion to set fruit?

 --sérgio

Yes it is dioecious. (http://scielo.br/pdf/abb/v15n3/7581.pdf  p. 373)
I have 2 trees planted together and they have flowered for several years with no fruit. So planting just 2 trees was a mistake. 

[siafu]

 Hi,

 Miguel, my tree came from fruits I bought in Lisbon, many years ago.  Never seen it again ever since.
 
  This year has been prolific in first time bloomers. My Bombax ceiba produced its first flowers. A couple of
  months later, my largest flamboyant (Delonix regia) also bloomed for the first time. I grew both from seed!!!

 Oscar, thanks for the link. I also found an interesting link to a video about the Jenipapo (Genipa americana). It's an episode
belonging to the "Um Pé de Quê?" series presented by Regina Casé. She says jenipapo trees can be either male
or hermaphrodite.

I would check the flowers but they are way up there...
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnjCpQhMy2Y

[fruitlovers]

 Hi,

 Miguel, my tree came from fruits I bought in Lisbon, many years ago.  Never seen it again ever since.
 
  This year has been prolific in first time bloomers. My Bombax ceiba produced its first flowers. A couple of
  months later, my largest flamboyant (Delonix regia) also bloomed for the first time. I grew both from seed!!!

 Oscar, thanks for the link. I also found an interesting link to a video about the Jenipapo (Genipa americana). It's an episode
belonging to the "Um Pé de Quê?" series presented by Regina Casé. She says jenipapo trees can be either male
or hermaphrodite.

I would check the flowers but they are way up there...
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnjCpQhMy2Y

I must have 2 male trees then.   

[huertasurbanas]

"Apesar de ser planta hermafrodita, precisa de polinização cruzada para ter boa frutificação, por isso recomendo que se plante no mínimo 2 exemplares."

http://colecionandofrutas.com.br/genipaamericana.htm

[fruitlovers]

"Apesar de ser planta hermafrodita, precisa de polinização cruzada para ter boa frutificação, por isso recomendo que se plante no mínimo 2 exemplares."

http://colecionandofrutas.com.br/genipaamericana.htm

I think this is not correct and this tree is really dioecious. I have already 2 trees, and that was not enough to get it to fruit. They flower every year, but no fruits.

[huertasurbanas]

"Apesar de ser planta hermafrodita, precisa de polinização cruzada para ter boa frutificação, por isso recomendo que se plante no mínimo 2 exemplares."

http://colecionandofrutas.com.br/genipaamericana.htm

I think this is not correct and this tree is really dioecious. I have already 2 trees, and that was not enough to get it to fruit. They flower every year, but no fruits.

Thanks Oscar, just tell us if you get any fruit! cheers

[pineislander]

When I lived in the Caribbean this was an extremely common tree all over. I didn't know about the dioecious nature at the time but it was clear enough that many never bore fruit & I assume they were males. Even some females would become biannual bearers loading up heavy then taking time off. The heavy bearers would be severely beaten with sticks by folks getting fruit except by vendors who wanted whole clusters to sell, they would send climbers up to get huge quantities.

[fruitlovers]

"Apesar de ser planta hermafrodita, precisa de polinização cruzada para ter boa frutificação, por isso recomendo que se plante no mínimo 2 exemplares."

http://colecionandofrutas.com.br/genipaamericana.htm

I think this is not correct and this tree is really dioecious. I have already 2 trees, and that was not enough to get it to fruit. They flower every year, but no fruits.

Thanks Oscar, just tell us if you get any fruit! cheers

I am trying to get some scion wood to graft on to my trees. I think i have 2 male trees.

[pineislander]

I should add that in habitat it enjoys alkaline soil even doing well on heavy high pH caliche soils.