...So far i think only 2 people have fruited rambutan in Florida, Bill Whitman and Adolf Grimel? It is extremely rare that a fruit will go from total obscurity in being grown in an area to being grown commercially.
The rambutan is a well accepted commercial fruit. It is widely liked. So it's good to try to grow it out of it's normal range. But getting to commercial stage, if it is possible at all, would take decades of development...
Thank You. So it’s already been done before - Rambutan fruit trees that bear fruit in South Florida - Wow! What an accomplishment! And, it’s been accomplished not by just one person but by two people - Bill Whitman & Adolf Grimel! What a great accomplishment! Now I admire them even more.
Finding a Rambutan seedling that is well adapted to South Florida - I’m sure that it can be challenging. And, the approach of simplifying the process may expedite the desired results; i.e. plant as many seeds as you can in virgin South Florida soil- one seed per plastic cup, with 4-6 holes perforated at the base, and filled with South Florida virgin soil - place them in a location with partial shade and Sun, and DON’T WATER THEM AT ALL. This approach could quickly yield a negative answer of 100 percent failure in less than two years. Or, this approach could quickly lead to finding that Super Hero ‘Trophy’ Seedling that is so desired in less than two years.
Yes, the reality is that there are more than just the two factors of Soil-pH and Climate, you also have the factors of Genetics, the Environment, and I’m sure there are more. Say that after following the above, someone finds the desired ‘Trophy’ Seedling: There is then the possibility that Nematodes (a type of soil worm) in the soil Environment of South Florida will kill the newly found ‘Trophy’ Seedling. This is why in such a scenario, I would immediately transfer the Rambutan Seedling to a generously sized pot, filled with quality potting soil, in order to let the Seedling establish and strengthen itself, and give it a fighting chance at keeping the Nematodes at bay, just like other fruit trees do. So, basically, it’s 3 Main Factors: Soil (pH...), Climate (Cold...), and Environment (Nematodes...), to contend with, IMO.