Author Topic: List of drought tolerant trees  (Read 28531 times)

nullzero

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #50 on: September 24, 2012, 06:08:04 PM »
Well, I can't say that we ever see much in the way of drought here :-). We call drought when it hasn't rained in 2 weeks. Try planting the trees you grow here in Florida in so cal where it's not uncommon to go 6 months without rainfall :-).

It looks live just about everything grown commonly in Florida is drought tolerant- How about drought sensitive trees?

Soil composition in SoCal retains moisture for a longer period of time (higher clay content). There are plenty of older avocado trees that thrive with no irrigation. Water table averages around 30-40ft to water in most areas of La County and Orange County. Once the roots make it down to the water table chances of survival are very good for any moderately drought tolerant tree.

Its tough for most fruiting plants in SoCal, with the exception of Figs, Pomegranates, Loquats, Opuntia, etc. to establish themselves without irrigation and care.

Having been to South Florida many times, I love the extra moisture and warm night temps which are great for growing. There is a trade off for the plants though... pests, excess rain, and diseases. Mild drought stress can also enhance taste of fruit and sweetness.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Saltcayman

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #51 on: September 24, 2012, 06:52:11 PM »
Hi Dave,
I can see the total precipitation for Turks and Caicos Islands average 600mm per year - is that correct? With temperatures of 25-30c.  So if you are not planning to irrigate, you need to select your trees carefully - that is fairly tough conditions.
Which trees are you growing or have tried to grow?

Black sapote
Canistel
Mango
Nance
Sugar apple
Soursop
Tamarind
Guinup
Pomegranate
Fig
Sapodilla
Panama berry
Barbados cherry
Natal plum
Indian jujube
Loquat
java plum

Hi Soren, these are doing well with some hose irrigation.  The trees that do best on island are tamarind, Guinup, sapodilla, neem and date palm. Rainfall is about 20 inches per year.  I introduced the rest and of those, nance and black sapote,  indian jujube and natal plum are doing the best. Many have failed in the past including longon, jakfruit, a mango, dwarf ambarella,   Any advice or suggestions you have would be great.  Thanks,  Dave

@Dave

Didn't realize how dry those Islands were, from what I understand the soil is very sandy also.  how is your soil ?   have you considered/tried drip irrigation?

Hey William,  Yes, very dry! They made salt there for three hundred years because of how dry it is.  Drip could work but I am on cistern water and would not want to risk a broken fitting which would quickly pump the cistern dry...  Soil is a red laterite clay on top of limestone.  Better than sand but low organic content and lots of iron but very high PH that locks up everything:(   I have been adding as much organic material as I can get my hands on and I have a guy who waters with a hose twice per week.  Also started adding sulfur and dried humates as per a soil analysis I had done to try and bring down the ph.  Dave

Tropicdude

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #52 on: September 24, 2012, 07:21:53 PM »
We use a Cistern, which gets its water from a well. 

Using drip will save you on water big time.  you can put it on a timer, to run at evening, or early morning when its cool.
 drip kits are pretty cheap.   as for possible leaks, usually not a problem,  heck they are even used on plantations with thousands of trees.
there are also hoses with built in emitters , that cant be knocked out.

I have never had problem like you, with Ph. so have no experience with that.  but adding all that organic bio mass, will do good for sure. eventually you will get your Ph down.
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

luc

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #53 on: September 24, 2012, 07:35:36 PM »

I don't know how mamey-sapotes do with salt spray.  [In Belize some sapodillas grow in the sea.] 

In Yucatán, mamey-sapotes withstand prolonged dry seasons annually, on shallow clay soils over limestone rocks, with the water table probably well over 50 feet down in most places.  I don't know what the air humidity levels run there.  We were not discussing desert plants.

Recently we have had several drought years here in south Florida, with little rain from November thru June.  My sandy yard is 27 feet above the water table.  I don't have an irrigation system, and sporadically water plants that look stressed.   Many plants and trees have died in my yard, but all the ones I listed (except for mamey-sapote and carissa, which I observed elswhere) are doing just fine, some with no rain or irrigation for two months.

I did not list soursop, which has needed frequent extra waterings.  I also did not list Rollinia deliciosa (mucosa) which do not survive for me unless grafted on drought- hardy rootsock.  Sugar-apples just barely hold on.

Har - I noticed you listed Annona purpurea. My A. squamosa and A. muricata does better than my A. purpurea which drops all the leaves and kinda dries up a bit during the dry seasons.

Soren , that is normal for A. purpurea , here in it's natural environment ( No rain from October till end of June ) it looses most of its leaves also except when growing close to water.
Luc Vleeracker
Puerto Vallarta
Mexico , Pacific coast.
20 degrees north

Guanabanus

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #54 on: September 24, 2012, 09:12:48 PM »
Dropping leaves to hunker down during annual droughts is a bona fide adaptation for survival.  Annona purpurea is an example.
Har

Soren

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #55 on: September 25, 2012, 06:44:48 AM »
Dropping leaves to hunker down during annual droughts is a bona fide adaptation for survival.  Annona purpurea is an example.

I am aware and agree; that adaption also makes it possible for the Rollinias to survive here - but both A. squamosa and A. muricata do not exhibit this strategy in my climate though at least A. squamose is semi-deciduous - it continues which is why I do reason it has a higher water-stress level.
Sřren
Kampala, Uganda

Bob407

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Re: List of drought tolerant trees
« Reply #56 on: July 05, 2015, 11:44:24 AM »

I don't know how mamey-sapotes do with salt spray.  [In Belize some sapodillas grow in the sea.] 

In Yucatán, mamey-sapotes withstand prolonged dry seasons annually, on shallow clay soils over limestone rocks, with the water table probably well over 50 feet down in most places.  I don't know what the air humidity levels run there.  We were not discussing desert plants.

Recently we have had several drought years here in south Florida, with little rain from November thru June.  My sandy yard is 27 feet above the water table.  I don't have an irrigation system, and sporadically water plants that look stressed.   Many plants and trees have died in my yard, but all the ones I listed (except for mamey-sapote and carissa, which I observed elswhere) are doing just fine, some with no rain or irrigation for two months.

I did not list soursop, which has needed frequent extra waterings.  I also did not list Rollinia deliciosa (mucosa) which do not survive for me unless grafted on drought- hardy rootsock.  Sugar-apples just barely hold on.

Mamey-sapotes do well here with salt exposure. A. Muricatas seem to do far better with some shade and I have noticed that A. squamosas do struggle and produce small fruit when receiving no care. My Guillermo Ilama seedlings are growing like wild fire despite being the tree of choice for hungry iquanas.
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