Author Topic: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting  (Read 2348 times)

Brebarian

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Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« on: April 08, 2020, 01:39:37 PM »
Hi everyone,

I was hoping someone could help me figure out why my Surinam Cherry flowers profusely but never fruits.

Background: I purchased a very small Surinam Cherry from a local nursery three years ago. It's quite possibly a seedling, although it sends up suckers at the base, a characteristic I thought was more prevalent in grafted plants. The growing conditions are coastal 9B/10A in Santa Barbara, full sun, but relatively protected. Soil is mulched clay-loam, lightly fertilized with a balanced fertilizer a few times a year during the growing season. The plant grows fairly slowly (it's probably 2.5ft high and 2 ft diameter), but it otherwise healthy, and flowers like crazy, like it has the last two years. As it is in a marginal growing climate, all of the leaves turn red in the winter, and are semi deciduous.

Situation: The plant started flowering in early March, but there is so far no fruit set. I was under the impression that all Surinam Cherries are self-fruitful, but I have pollinated flowers with others from the same plant just to be sure it wasn't lack of pollen.

Potential Issues that I've considered: 1) It's a seedling, and too young to fruit, but not to flower. 2) It's still too small to bear fruit. 3) This particular plant is not self-fruitful for some reason. 4) From February to April, night-time lows in the 40's and 50's and rain prevent it from setting fruit.

Are one or more of these potential issues the reason it flowers but won't set fruit? Or am I missing something else?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

achetadomestica

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2020, 04:21:43 PM »
Does it flower after April when it is warmer at night?
That cool of temperatures at night could be a factor? This past year
in Late January I had 3 different types of Jaboticabas get ready
to flower. We had 3 nights in a row that it was 40F and the flowers fizzled?
Luckily all three flowered afterwards and set fruit but not as profusely?

The other thing that will invariably help is to get a second plant. I have a
decent size E candolleana that has 300+ flowers a year and I end up with 50
fruit. I also have a E. involucrata that also has hundreds of flowers and only
produces a handful of fruit. This year I had a second tree flowering at the same time
and I got by far the most fruit ever.

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2020, 04:58:00 PM »
I am about 60 miles north of you (Nipomo, CA).  I have a number of Surinam cherries, several grafted, many seedlings.  Most are over 5 years old.  All get red leaves in the winter, lose many to all.  They are flowering now and produce fruit every year, some black, some red.  I suspect you will achieve success this year or next.  They have never been hurt by frost and produce multiple seedlings in the ground.  We are in dune sand, drip irrigation, scattered fertilizer during rains.


Kevin Jones

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2020, 05:51:32 PM »
Suriname Cherry
This was the plant that started me on my Eugenia quest. This and Cherry of the Rio Grande.
Winters are too warm in central AL where I live to grow sweet temperate cherries... so I was looking for a good substitute.
After some research... I acquired an excellent grafted Black Star and although at the time it seemed expensive... I have never regretted the purchase. It took a couple of years of TLC... but now it blooms and sets fruit several times a year. Some light... some heavy.  This winter it bloomed like crazy... but only set a dozen or so fruits. Also.. and this may just be a coincidense... Every time I harvest scions from it, it seems to start blooming again.



Be patient and you will be rewarded.

Kevin Jones











« Last Edit: April 08, 2020, 10:00:36 PM by Kevin Jones »

Finca La Isla

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2020, 07:01:03 PM »
I have seen Surinam cherry that is self infertile.  I planted one for someone and it flowered and didn’t fruit.  Then I planted another one as a companion very close, as if it was a single bush.  Once the second one flowered they both fruited profusely.  I sell seedling Surinam cherry in my nursery and encourage people to plant two.
Peter

scottsurf

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2020, 07:51:43 PM »
I got 4 bushes and they have never really set fruit from the first spring flush but later in the year they set a lot of fruit. I guess its the cold but I do get fruit in the winter from fall flowering  so I don't know ???

Odenwald

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2020, 11:09:44 AM »
I have two that are the same size.  One has not flowered yet, while the other is covered in fruit.  I think they are both from seed as its pretty easy to germinate the seeds and grow a new plant.  While we don't get very cold here, like others have said they don't seem to mind a drop into the low 30s.

Brebarian

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2020, 03:26:30 PM »
It looks like a combination of patience and planting another Surinam Cherry to ensure cross-pollination is the way to go. I've been looking for a reason to go out and find a grafted Zill Dark or Black Star for the garden, so it looks like I've found one!

Thank you for all of the helpful advice everyone!


spaugh

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2020, 04:12:35 PM »
Suriname Cherry
This was the plant that started me on my Eugenia quest. This and Cherry of the Rio Grande.
Winters are too warm in central AL where I live to grow sweet temperate cherries... so I was looking for a good substitute.
After some research... I acquired an excellent grafted Black Star and although at the time it seemed expensive... I have never regretted the purchase. It took a couple of years of TLC... but now it blooms and sets fruit several times a year. Some light... some heavy.  This winter it bloomed like crazy... but only set a dozen or so fruits. Also.. and this may just be a coincidense... Every time I harvest scions from it, it seems to start blooming again.



Be patient and you will be rewarded.

Kevin Jones

Kevin, thry have low chill cherry trees.  Just an FYI, my cherry trees are loaded right now!  Look up Minnie Royal and Royal Lee.  Theres a few others as well. 

Regarding surinam, my tree bloomed hard but no fruit set.  Maybe its the rain we had.
Brad Spaugh

countryboy1981

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2020, 10:24:37 PM »
Quote
Kevin, thry have low chill cherry trees.  Just an FYI, my cherry trees are loaded right now!  Look up Minnie Royal and Royal Lee.  Theres a few others as well. 

Regarding surinam, my tree bloomed hard but no fruit set.  Maybe its the rain we had.

It is the heat and humidity.  There are low chill apples also but I yanked mine out and burned them due to disease.  They cannot tolerate the heat and humidity.

Kevin Jones

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2020, 07:32:20 PM »
Brad and countryboy1981,
Maybe it is the heat and humidity.
About 5 years ago I planted both Minnie Royal and Royal Lee. 3 each.
I was excited. Oh boy.. Cherries!
Alas... They just did not thrive at all and every one of them slowly died within the year.

Kevin Jones

spaugh

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2020, 02:18:02 AM »
Brad and countryboy1981,
Maybe it is the heat and humidity.
About 5 years ago I planted both Minnie Royal and Royal Lee. 3 each.
I was excited. Oh boy.. Cherries!
Alas... They just did not thrive at all and every one of them slowly died within the year.

Kevin Jones

Strange, maybe a rootstock issue or maybe they just wont perform in the humidity.  I can guarantee heat is not an issue.  Its very hot here and in the central valley of CA where they grow a lot of cherries.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2020, 02:20:29 AM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

CherimoyaDude

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2020, 11:38:12 AM »
Hi everyone,

I was hoping someone could help me figure out why my Surinam Cherry flowers profusely but never fruits.

Background: I purchased a very small Surinam Cherry from a local nursery three years ago. It's quite possibly a seedling, although it sends up suckers at the base, a characteristic I thought was more prevalent in grafted plants. The growing conditions are coastal 9B/10A in Santa Barbara, full sun, but relatively protected. Soil is mulched clay-loam, lightly fertilized with a balanced fertilizer a few times a year during the growing season. The plant grows fairly slowly (it's probably 2.5ft high and 2 ft diameter), but it otherwise healthy, and flowers like crazy, like it has the last two years. As it is in a marginal growing climate, all of the leaves turn red in the winter, and are semi deciduous.

Situation: The plant started flowering in early March, but there is so far no fruit set. I was under the impression that all Surinam Cherries are self-fruitful, but I have pollinated flowers with others from the same plant just to be sure it wasn't lack of pollen.

Potential Issues that I've considered: 1) It's a seedling, and too young to fruit, but not to flower. 2) It's still too small to bear fruit. 3) This particular plant is not self-fruitful for some reason. 4) From February to April, night-time lows in the 40's and 50's and rain prevent it from setting fruit.

Are one or more of these potential issues the reason it flowers but won't set fruit? Or am I missing something else?

Any advice is appreciated!

Which nursery did you get it from?

Brebarian

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2020, 06:48:52 PM »
Which nursery did you get it from?

I purchased my Surinam Cherry from a local nursery here in Santa Barbara, it goes by the name of Island Seed & Feed.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any information as to variety or history. Surinam Cherries are exceedingly rare finds where I live, so it was more of a impulse buy driven by blind excitement than anything else. Looking back, that probably wasn't the best idea.

I'll have to look around for a reputable source of grafted Surinam cherries before I buy my second plant.

shmojojojo

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2020, 07:41:20 PM »
Quote
Surinam Cherries are exceedingly rare finds where I live

Not if you're willing to drive a little bit. LA is full of tropical fruit nurseries. Mimosa has three of them. There you can pick up a nice sized 1gal grafted red or black Surinam for about $12 that will flower this or next spring. Maybe $25 for a 3gal. Champa Nursery is worth a visit. San Gabriel Nursery has some interesting stuff. There are all kinds of hidden gems in the Asian communities of the SGV. Papaya Tree Nursery in Granada Hills is not too far from you and they will most likely have Surinam Cherry. Maybe plan a travel day, but definitely call ahead first.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2020, 06:58:18 AM by shmojojojo »

palingkecil

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2020, 08:21:19 PM »
Papaya Tree Nursery has 2 big Surinam cherry trees which will be loaded with fruits around June to August, i think. You can try them on the spot. Best Surinam cherry i've tried. The owner, Alex knows his trees. He only keeps the best tasting ones. I bought my grafted tree from him, 6 months waiting list. It was $125 for a 2-3 ft grafted tree. It bears fruit almost all year round. The fruit does not taste as good as the parent tree yet, it takes years for tropical cherry fruits to taste better and better. If you want to try goid Surinam Cherry, call Papaya tree nursery and make appointment.

Brebarian

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Re: Surinam Cherry Flowering But Not Fruiting
« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2020, 02:07:44 AM »
Thanks for the nursery recommendations. I've purchased a few plants from Alex in the past, looks like he has exactly what I need.