Blackberry Jam Fruit Tree - Randia Formosa

[Dirt Diva]

I am interested in what others in this forum feel about the Blackberry Jam Fruit Trees .....
Research shows it can handle below freezing temps for the rare times it dips below 33F up against the house on the south side, it could survive without me panicking, watering, covering etc.

It seems like a worthy addition to a fruit salad and would love input on your opinion of flavor, texture etc.

Should I grow this from seed or would a grafted tree be better?

If seed, I would love to buy some, so if you have some for sale, please contact me.

TIA, and Happy Gardening !!
P J, the Dirt Diva

[Finca La Isla]

I’m not sure if it would work for a fruit salad but, maybe.  Black berry jam fruit has nice flowers that can be fragrant and, at least here, once it started producing it always has fruit.  I have never taken anyone to see this plant and not found fruit. That is it’s strength.  I think it would work well as a hedge. 
I sell the plants in my nursery and it sells well because it is so prolific.  Two other plants also always have fruit, gin berry, and lime berry.
Peter

[Dirt Diva]

thanks for your quick response. I think I would love a Randia hedge.
 Do you grow seedlings or grafted trees?

Maybe someday I will make it to Costa Rica and visit your Finca !

[Viking Guy]

I second the hedge idea.

The fruit is interesting. It is so prolific that you'll find flowers, unripe and ripened fruits all hanging at the same time randomly.

The taste is so so and fruit is small.  Nothing to write home about, but it does have some nice aesthetics and aromas. Personally, I like the plant, and love thickening its trunk in a pot in a contorted manner.

My wife has thought about making one into a bonsai. It is hardy and tolerant--responds well to pruning.

I have only grown it in zones 9 and 10.  I do not know its cold tolerances outside of those growing ranges.

[shpaz]

Oscar at http://www.fruitlovers.com/seedlistUSA.html has the seeds on stock.

[Finca La Isla]

We just plant the seeds and grow them like that.  I don’t see much advantage in grafting it.
Suerte
Peter

[Triphal]

4 feet Bushy, dense foliage with 1 to 2 cm dark green globular leaves flowering and fruiting throughout the year (in zone 13). Fruits 8 to 12 mm roundish green turning yellow when ripe. Rind thin and easily split soft shell. Dark chocolate/black colored semisolid tasty sweet pulp with dozens of tiny seeds. May not be ideal for fruit salad. Song birds love it! They have a way of picking the hidden hardly noticeable fruits throughout the day. A must have bush for a tropical Paradise! Good luck.

[Triphal]

In late 1960s most of Houston was in zone 8b. Probably the southern perimeter may have been extended to 9a and can't be 9b. 50 miles south east was Galveston zone 9b on the Gulf Coast.

[Dirt Diva]

I live about halfway between Houston and Galveston, across the street from Mission Control NASA.
Yes we are 9 b

[Triphal]

I find in the TFF growing of certain tropical fruit's USDA zones are 'jacked up' for obvious reasons. Unfortunatly for marketing practices. It is very interesting to browse this Forum! While in Galveston for a year and a half I experienced in December of 1969 a bitter cold and freezing temperature! Few years ago I got a call from a guy in Houston who wanted to know whether he can grow Java Plum (Syzygium cumini)tree as there are some seedlings in a nursery on sale. I told him even if the plant makes it, it will be hard for it to bloom and fruit. Randia growing zone seems to be inflated. It is a nice shrub for hedges. The beautiful 5 or 6 petal white fragrant flowers against the dark forest green background of the dense leaves are breath taking and if it blooms the fruits will be worth it. For this plant you could seek advise from California Rare Fruit Growers club members who have practical knowledge about this shrub whether it grows there and some of their members fall in your zone. Good luck.

[bsbullie]

You do realize the USDA ZONE Map changes from time to time.  The current map is from 2012, previous map was from 1990. 

Who cares what you recall the zone being in a particular place in the 60s.  On top of that, there are micro-climates within a zone that the map will not tell you...

[Dirt Diva]

While in Galveston for a year and a half I experienced in December of 1969 a bitter cold and freezing temperature! ... It is a nice shrub for hedges. The beautiful 5 or 6 petal white fragrant flowers against the dark forest green background of the dense leaves are breath taking and if it blooms the fruits will be worth it. Good luck.

ahh the 60's
yes,we get snow every 10 yrs. whether we need it or not, just so kids learn what it looks like. Most of  the edibles I grow are also beautiful, that is why the HOA doesn't give me grief. I think I can get the garden club ladies wanting them as a hedge, and they will probably donate the fruit back to me (jk)

Thanks for the advice, and Happy Gardening!

P J, the Dirt Diva

[PitangatubaMoray]

In the case that BBJF doesn't grow in your climate, I've heard they do well in containers.