Vexator -- 8 years to fruit. Is this common?

[Cookie Monster]

Both of my 8 year old vexators have little pea sized fruits on them for the first time (whoo hoo!). The bigger of the two is roughly 8 feet tall and wide. Is it common for them to take so long to fruit?

[kgknight]

Oh man 8 years it took?!?  I will have a long wait then. Jeff have you noticed that the vexator likes a lot of water, more so than other varieties?  My vex's are in pots sitting in saucers and it seems that they drink up the water in the saucers so much faster than the other Jabos.  also since being placed in saucers I have had a lot of new growth, even right now they are pushing out new leaves.  I am hoping regular applications of fertilizer and lots of water gets them to fruit sooner. I'll try to get pics, but they have not fruited yet.
Hey if you don't mind post a pic of your trees

[FlyingFoxFruits]

congrats!!  keep the water on them heavy!

I'm eating fruits from my tree now...the quality is outstanding...big seeds and thick tannic skins, but theres plenty of delicious pulp...I love the texture and unique flavor.  If you hate tannic flavors, this fruit is not one you can just bite into without prior experience eating them.  It's best to avoid the oils in the skin.

the fruits are usually larger than sabara..so that helps make up for the thick skin and large seed.

it only took my trees 5yrs to fruit.  I think 8 yrs is on the long end of the spectrum.

[HMHausman]

Both of my 8 year old vexators have little pea sized fruits on them for the first time (whoo hoo!). The bigger of the two is roughly 8 feet tall and wide. Is it common for them to take so long to fruit?

Sorry to say, but I think 8 years is probably close to the  average amount of time to get these things to fruit from seed.  That's been the case from my observations.  Part of the problem is that it is difficult to judge the age of a seedling when you buy it in a pot.  These things grow very slowly while young and take some time before they really get going. I know of a couple of trees that were probably a couple of years old in pots when they were purchased and still took almost a decade to fruit. Probably 5-6 years is the minumum time you'll have to wait with good culture.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I've heard reports from other growers where it only took 4 yrs ..(mine actually flowered in less than 5 yrs, but didn't set fruit.)  I'm certain this variety doesn't usually take longer than 6yrs from seed.  It's much quicker than sabara, and about the same as glazioviana.

Both of my 8 year old vexators have little pea sized fruits on them for the first time (whoo hoo!). The bigger of the two is roughly 8 feet tall and wide. Is it common for them to take so long to fruit?

Sorry to say, but I think 8 years is probably close to the  average amount of time to get these things to fruit from seed.  That's been the case from my observations.  Part of the problem is that it is difficult to judge the age of a seedling when you buy it in a pot.  These things grow very slowly while young and take some time before they really get going. I know of a couple of trees that were probably a couple of years old in pots when they were purchased and still took almost a decade to fruit. Probably 5-6 years is the minumum time you'll have to wait with good culture.

[Cookie Monster]

Mine started to flower at somewhere around 6.5 years, but is finally holding a crop for the first time. It was planted 6 years ago as a very large 3 gallon.

The smaller one I have (which my wife says has a couple of fruit) may only be 6 years old. I don't remember when I got that one.

Actually, the vexator (when in the ground) is probably the least water hungry eugenia I have planted in the garden. It's the only one that doesn't need supplemental watering if we see a 2 to 3 week period without rain. I attribute it to the fact that the fribrous roots seem to be much more aggressive than the other eugenias I have. I remember potted vexators being fairly water needy though.

I've eaten a few vexators, and I wasn't all that fond them, due as saffron said, to the tannin content. But it's one of the few trees that I've kept more for ornamental reasons than for fruit enjoyment. It's compact, can take some shade, and absolutely beautiful.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

some nice vexator fruits!  I ate them all! 
here's a recent pic of the tree in a 25 gal...I think its ready for the next size up...I love how the tree hides the container.

[Cookie Monster]

Adam Monster was right. These vexator are delicious! I finally got my first bumper crop of these babies -- hundreds of fruits -- and I've been scarfing them down like peanuts. They actually rival our regular jaboticaba in terms of flavor -- super sweet with a perfect tart. My wife says that it tastes like the higher quality spanish limes (she has a lot more experience eating spanish lime than me).

For some reason the tannin flavor has been barely perceptible this time around.

I'm with Adam -- the vexator rawks !! Tolerant of high ph soil, not water hungry like the jabo, strong rootsystem. And delicious fruit!

[cbss_daviefl]

Congrats on the harvest and thanks for the motivation to put my big potted plant in the ground!

[bsbullie]

Adam Monster was right. These vexator are delicious! I finally got my first bumper crop of these babies -- hundreds of fruits -- and I've been scarfing them down like peanuts. They actually rival our regular jaboticaba in terms of flavor -- super sweet with a perfect tart. My wife says that it tastes like the higher quality spanish limes (she has a lot more experience eating spanish lime than me).

For some reason the tannin flavor has been barely perceptible this time around.

I'm with Adam -- the vexator rawks !! Tolerant of high ph soil, not water hungry like the jabo, strong rootsystem. And delicious fruit!

I agree, I think they are quite good just with a thicker skin.  Many I have let try like them but some do not.  I have seen where heavier watering increases the sixe, like with Sabara.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Adam Monster was right. These vexator are delicious! I finally got my first bumper crop of these babies -- hundreds of fruits -- and I've been scarfing them down like peanuts. They actually rival our regular jaboticaba in terms of flavor -- super sweet with a perfect tart. My wife says that it tastes like the higher quality spanish limes (she has a lot more experience eating spanish lime than me).

For some reason the tannin flavor has been barely perceptible this time around.

I'm with Adam -- the vexator rawks !! Tolerant of high ph soil, not water hungry like the jabo, strong rootsystem. And delicious fruit!

YES!!!!

thank you for the report amigo!

I'm not totally loco!

[Cookie Monster]

HAHAHAH

I plowed through at least 50 - 60 of those suckers just today.

The other benefit of the vexator is that the frewt don't all ripen at once, and mature fruits hang longer. Harvest can span a month or more with vexator, where sabara can pupe out the entire crop in like 3 days :-). (The benefit of the sabara is that you can freeze and use whole in smoothies -- the best ingredient I've found so far to add a perfect tart to a canistel smoothie.)

The coons, which can decimate a sabara crop, don't seem to really bother the vexator.

Incidentally, my vexator came from Excalibur (late 2006 or early 2007) as a gigantic 3gal. It's actually the only tree of theirs that I still have in the ground :-).

[FlyingFoxFruits]

so what are you doing with all those seeds??

 

and don't you like the jelly-like consistency of the fruit?

they taste like rollinia to me somehow...maybe I am loco?

HAHAHAH

I plowed through at least 50 - 60 of those suckers just today.

The other benefit of the vexator is that the frewt don't all ripen at once, and mature fruits hang longer. Harvest can span a month or more with vexator, where sabara can pupe out the entire crop in like 3 days :-). (The benefit of the sabara is that you can freeze and use whole in smoothies -- the best ingredient I've found so far to add a perfect tart to a canistel smoothie.)

The coons, which can decimate a sabara crop, don't seem to really bother the vexator.

Incidentally, my vexator came from Excalibur (late 2006 or early 2007) as a gigantic 3gal. It's actually the only tree of theirs that I still have in the ground :-).

[Cookie Monster]

HAHAHAHA My hands are cuffed. The missus is guarding those things with her life. If it were up to me, I'd send them to you, but I'd get a solid whoopin for that :-).

You're right, I do like the consistency, more so than the sabara which is more watery.

It's a fantastic fruit. For a sec I was turning over the idea of fitting another tree in the new lot somewhere. It's a great spring treat / Hors d'oeuvre warm up for mango season :-).

so what are you doing with all those seeds??

 

and don't you like the jelly-like consistency of the fruit?

they taste like rollinia to me somehow...maybe I am loco?

HAHAHAH

I plowed through at least 50 - 60 of those suckers just today.

The other benefit of the vexator is that the frewt don't all ripen at once, and mature fruits hang longer. Harvest can span a month or more with vexator, where sabara can pupe out the entire crop in like 3 days :-). (The benefit of the sabara is that you can freeze and use whole in smoothies -- the best ingredient I've found so far to add a perfect tart to a canistel smoothie.)

The coons, which can decimate a sabara crop, don't seem to really bother the vexator.

Incidentally, my vexator came from Excalibur (late 2006 or early 2007) as a gigantic 3gal. It's actually the only tree of theirs that I still have in the ground :-).

[jc]

Cookie Mon, do you have a photo to share?  I'll be planting a vexator I bought from Adam last year and I am interested in size and shape after 9 years. Thanks!

Adam Monster was right. These vexator are delicious! I finally got my first bumper crop of these babies -- hundreds of fruits -- and I've been scarfing them down like peanuts. They actually rival our regular jaboticaba in terms of flavor -- super sweet with a perfect tart. My wife says that it tastes like the higher quality spanish limes (she has a lot more experience eating spanish lime than me).

For some reason the tannin flavor has been barely perceptible this time around.

I'm with Adam -- the vexator rawks !! Tolerant of high ph soil, not water hungry like the jabo, strong rootsystem. And delicious fruit!

[Cookie Monster]

It's dark now (I can take a pic tomorrow), but I just went and measured it -- about 2 inches below 10 feet tall and about 11 feet wide. I believe the tree is right around the 10 year old mark, which would put growth at about a foot a year.

[luc]

Got two ,  6 - 7 years old still waiting .....

[Cookie Monster]

PS -- After thinking about it, I think what made the difference is that last year I picked the fruit while they were under-ripe (still had some of the reddish / purplish color). This year my wife is picking them totally black. They can hang for quite some time, and the wildlife doesn't seem to bother it much. So to get the awesome super sweet / low tannin flavor, one would probably want to wait til they are totally black.

[jc]

Thank you. I look forward to it. Sounds bigger than I expected.

It's dark now (I can take a pic tomorrow), but I just went and measured it -- about 2 inches below 10 feet tall and about 11 feet wide. I believe the tree is right around the 10 year old mark, which would put growth at about a foot a year.

[bsbullie]

Thank you. I look forward to it. Sounds bigger than I expected.

It's dark now (I can take a pic tomorrow), but I just went and measured it -- about 2 inches below 10 feet tall and about 11 feet wide. I believe the tree is right around the 10 year old mark, which would put growth at about a foot a year.

There are some 100 gal at Excalibur that are about 8 - 9 feet tall and are fruiting  and have been for a few years at least. 

[FlyingFoxFruits]

PS -- After thinking about it, I think what made the difference is that last year I picked the fruit while they were under-ripe (still had some of the reddish / purplish color). This year my wife is picking them totally black. They can hang for quite some time, and the wildlife doesn't seem to bother it much. So to get the awesome super sweet / low tannin flavor, one would probably want to wait til they are totally black.

to be honest they never turn black, hence the name blue jabo..its like a deep navy blue/purple..

but the best way to check if fruits are ripe is to squeeze them....they should be some what rubbery, not firm...almost like a under inflated basket ball.

[ScottR]

Jeff & Adam, thanks for sharing experience with fruiting Vexator one day many years from now maybe (green fingers crossed) it will happen in California too!

[Cookie Monster]

I wonder if I'm picking them later than u? The skin is jet black, but there is a whitish / powdery sheen that causes it to cast a dark navy blue in certain light.

I really need to post pictures of the frewt, but I still use one of the old flip-phone dumb phones and it's a pain in the beehive to upload stuff from the camera :-).

PS -- After thinking about it, I think what made the difference is that last year I picked the fruit while they were under-ripe (still had some of the reddish / purplish color). This year my wife is picking them totally black. They can hang for quite some time, and the wildlife doesn't seem to bother it much. So to get the awesome super sweet / low tannin flavor, one would probably want to wait til they are totally black.

to be honest they never turn black, hence the name blue jabo..its like a deep navy blue/purple..

but the best way to check if fruits are ripe is to squeeze them....they should be some what rubbery, not firm...almost like a under inflated basket ball.

[huertasurbanas]

Very thanks for the new report, Cookie, I was worried about the 2013 report, now I have 3 vexators,  almost 2 years old, 1 feet tall and cant wait to taste them :S

I hope fruit fly will not be a problem as they dont do any damage on spring time here

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Very thanks for the new report, Cookie, I was worried about the 2013 report, now I have 3 vexators,  almost 2 years old, 1 feet tall and cant wait to taste them :S

I hope fruit fly will not be a problem as they dont do any damage on spring time here

No way a fruit fly can penetrate the cardboard thick skin of vexator!

birds don't even get them...

only rats and racoons it seems...

another added advantage of super thick skin!

(thinner skinned jabos can be susceptible to fruit flies, like aureana, red jabo, trunciflora, etc...)