Temperate Fruit & Orchards > Temperate Fruit Discussion

Growing non-tropics in Florida

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Jansky:
I know this is a “tropical fruit forum” so this may be out of place but in-line with our “tropical tree” discussion, I have this to post/ask:  I moved to this country as a teenager from then Czechoslovakia and still have a large family there I keep in touch with. In @ year 2000 when I brought  my wife to meet my family  there, I brought 3 baby chestnut trees back from my uncle’s farm.  My plan was to grow them in a container until we find a property that we’ll keep for the rest of our lives that also has the climate comparable to theirs in Europe, then plant them in the ground for good.  Here’s what happened:

In Bohemia, which has fairly severe, snowy winters, the trees drop leaves and go dormant @ October and start putting out leaves again @ April.  Well, fooled by California’s climate my continent-transplanted trees started to shoot out in February and, however, lose their leaves as soon as early August (!!)  They are EXTREMELY SLOWLY after all these years beginning to adjust to the existing season cycle, and have essentially turned into bonsai plants.  I got them to actually flower and produce chestnuts twice.

Now that we have “gone all in” for the Florida Keys property, the Czech chestnuts will have to go with us. Soooo: what are anybody’s experiences trying to grow an out-of-the-tropics tree in southern US? Even in a container?  Has anybody tried to grow a New Hampshire maple in Florida or Hawaii? What are the chances for my Czech chestnuts
.?

Or is our move a sure death for my family trees???

Bob407:
Your nuts definitely wont freeze in the Keys.

BMc:
There are low-chill chestnuts, but I doubt Czech ones are bred for producing with little chill. Even low-chill ones would probably struggle to produce in the keys though?
Since they are your trees and you'll want to at least try for personal reasons, then this experiment can be your gift to the horticultural world  ;D

From the sea:
I have seen a sweet gum growing in Key West, I would try and see.

Tropheus76:
Well not like you have a choice in the matter. Give it a try and see.

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