Growing cola acuminata

[palologrower]

Just picked up some cola Acuminata at Lyon arboretum sale.   Any info on growing conditions such as soil types, wind resistance, fertilization etc? 

Thanks in advance

[Finca La Isla]

There can be confusion between the two colas but I think they need the same conditions.  We grow cola in clay loam, it's fairly wet, they tolerate partial shade easily, and produce well without full sun but may take a while longer if it is pretty shady.  Our ph is about 6.
Peter

[Chupa King]

I've gathered seeds and keiki from an unkept tree that is very densely shaded. Seems to do well in those conditions. I also have a young Monkey Cola which is starting to look good.

[palologrower]

Clearing out a spot where there are xmas berry and halekoa.  So we'll see what happens

[Finca La Isla]

What's monkey cola?

[Chupa King]

The plant never came with a tag. But I got the plant from Jim West. Not sure if there is any available information on it.

[HIfarm]

Hi Lance,

I had posted a link about C. acuminata before in the library section.  Hopefully, it will be helpful.

C.K. - you are Alva?  You got the plant from me when we had the auction / raffle when Paul Noren visited (I think it actually got delivered to you when we went to see Jim's talk -- I had forgotten to bring it to the auction since I was juggling too much stuff that day).  It did have a tag, I'll have to try to figure out what species I brought.

Peter - I just posted a link about monkey cola in the library section.  I have 3 or 4 sp of monkey cola, all still very young trees -- laterita, lepidota, pachycarpa, rostrata.  These are used for the aril, not the nut.  If you do a search, some of these sound pretty interesting but the flavor comparisons are not typical fruit flavors, they tend to be compared to carrots or sweet peas.

John

[Finca La Isla]

Thanks for posting about the monkey cola, I'd like to see that sometime.  It wasn't on Jim's list when I checked it.
We sometimes eat some of the aril on our cola nut fruits, not bad actually.
It could be that what is often called acuminata is actually nítida. 
Peter

[HIfarm]

Thanks for posting about the monkey cola, I'd like to see that sometime.  It wasn't on Jim's list when I checked it.
We sometimes eat some of the aril on our cola nut fruits, not bad actually.
It could be that what is often called acuminata is actually nítida. 
Peter

Hi Peter,

It's not from Jim.  I got mine from ForestHouse in Cameroon (and Alva got his from me).  They have quite a selection of Colas, I have only ordered those that I can find documentation about edibility.

Thanks for the tip about the aril on acuminata, I also have a couple of small trees of that.

John

[Vernmented]

I had no idea about that seller. I am excited to see what they offer. I believe I have nitida sprouting here. The seeds I bought were labeled both Cola acuminata/nitida. They ranged from red to pink to white. It seems like all that actually lived popped with two cotyledons.

This was a good pdf

http://carpe.umd.edu/Documents/2001/report-tachieobeng_brown2001.pdf

[dwfl]

Naples botanical garden had some nice ones growing well. Not sure how they fared with Irma hitting that area pretty hard

[HIfarm]

C.K. - you are Alva?  You got the plant from me when we had the auction / raffle when Paul Noren visited (I think it actually got delivered to you when we went to see Jim's talk -- I had forgotten to bring it to the auction since I was juggling too much stuff that day).  It did have a tag, I'll have to try to figure out what species I brought.

Sorry for the delay, I wasn't able to find in documentation on which one this was earlier but I just came across the bid sheet.  The plant is Cola rostrata.
John

[Chupa King]

Thank you, John. Now I can label it. I just recently gave it some manure and it is looking really good.