Byrsonima lucida

[mikemap]

I love nance and I'm wondering if there are other species of Byrsonima worth growing. Any Florida or Carribean people here have taste reports for Byrsonima lucida?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byrsonima_lucida

[HIfarm]

Hi Mike,

Hope you are doing well.  I haven't heard any taste reports for lucida.  I have a verbacifolia that has been bearing for a couple of years or so.  I think Helton described it as delicious.  Typically, the fruit goes from hard & green to ... gone (I've never seen a bird in the bush but I suspect it must be birds).  I've been able to try some with just a hint of yellow but they have still been hard & unpleasant (astringent if I recall correctly).

I've gotten nance seeds a couple of times and never got any germination.  I got the verbacifolia seeds years ago from Brazil and only one of those germinated so I don't know if they are typically tough to germinate but they have been for me (although I suspect they germinate much better after passing through a bird's GI tract).

John

[mikemap]

John, I've got an extra nance tree to give you and also fruit samples! The season is just starting and there are two huge old fruiting trees in Hilo at the university campus. I'll send you an email with more info.