Fruits from Hilo

[Kona fruit farm]

Great post Sam.  Was great having you stay.   Oscar was right you definitely came at a good time of year.  Huge variety of good fruits available this time of year.  Best time in my opinion.  In September you still have some good mangos available like pirie.  Cherimoya and atemoya are coming into season.  Pulasan.  Durian.  Lanzones (amazing). Rollinia, and a number of other rare ones.  Including the button mangosteen (cherapu) I got to finally try.   

For those of you considering a good time to visit big island September is a great month (fruit wise). Also slightly hotter here in sept.  But worth it!

And yes Sam to echo the others the pulasans we got in Hilo were not the best. There are other good ones from grafted trees that the fruit does not cling to seed.

[fruitlovers]

Late September is good for great diversity of the really rare fruits. This September has been especially good in that durian season came a lot earlier than usual. (Usually it is closer to Christmas time.) Also mangosteen season has been a lot later than usual. (Usually they fruit in June-july,) So having durian and mangosteen in September is not the norm. For pure quantity of good fruits late June might be a better season, as then there is the overlap of peak season mangoes and lychees. So it all depends on what fruits you like the most?

[LivingParadise]

Hi LP,

Glad to know that those fruit listing is beneficial to you.
Those Tamarillo were not my favorite, but they were purchased by our friend, so
I simply included those with the group photo.

Lansones, or "Langsat"; or "Langsep" as I grew up with it, is an "OK" fruit to me,
they are generally small in size but larger than Longan; sweet and clear tasting pulp, but one
needs to be careful as not to bite the seed (if there is one), it's bitter and can ruin
your tasty pulp that was already in your mouth...
For that reason, I personally prefer Lychee by far. (Didn't know they are related).

My favorite fruit by far is the Durian, it's so so good to taste a fresh, meaty, smooth,
elegant, sweet and semi fermented fruit! What makes it even more
precious is the fact (so far as I understand it) that they can only grow and fruit in the Tropic,
so mainland USA is out...unfortunately.
The fresh durian we purchased at local Asian markets at horrific prices (when they are available)
does not guaranty a superior taste, as we've been proven wrong twice!

So, those growing Durian in the Big Island, I am so jealous at you...! 

I read that Tamarillo tastes a lot like a tomato. Is that so?

Also, don't despair about growing durian... did you see the other thread about growing rambutan in CA? Check it out if you haven't yet, it's currently on the 1st page of threads. There are some growers on here, especially those from places like the Philippines originally, who are trying to push zone boundaries and grow their own tropical fruits in CA, even in the ground. In some cases, they are surprisingly successful. Maybe you can form some kind of club out there in CA of people growing tropical fruits in desert conditions! You never know, maybe there is a way to fruit your own durian in CA, even if it has to be in a tiny greenhouse or something to make it happen...

[Samu]

I had a 3 ft tall Artocarpus died on me this early February when we had an unusually one hot day in SoCAl; then a 5ft Soursop succumbed to a "mild" Winter last April. So, one died from heat, and the other died from cold...I guess I am not a good plant keeper...yet (- still learning -).

But, thank you LP for your kind encouragement, I think I would personally rather grow trees that are pretty commonly grown in my area, so I think I am not a good zone pusher candidate!
By the way, yes, I read those recent posts re. rambutan and durian....thanks again!

Regarding Tamarillo taste, I didn't taste this when I was there. (Our friend bought this fruit).

Edit: (added last sentence)