Author Topic: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?  (Read 2457 times)

AndrewAZ

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Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« on: September 25, 2019, 11:54:19 PM »
I have bought about 4 of these eugenia and they have all died.  I have had really good look growing other eugenias, but, this one has been my nemesis.
Is the fruit of good enough quality that I should keep on spending money until I figure out how to grow one properly, or, fruit just average or below and I should give up?

marklee

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2019, 12:30:02 AM »
I have three different seedlings that fruit and one is ok, the others are just not that great. Go for a Cherry of the Rio grande instead. I'm actually taking out my 10 foot tree because I need more sun for my Sapodillas.Plus the Pitomba needs too much water to fruit for us in the desert of San Diego.


achetadomestica

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2019, 07:48:38 AM »
I have 2 trees and one is a superstar and one is a scraggly smaller tree
that won't die but won't thrive? Both get the same water and same yard/fertilizer.
The superstar has hundreds of fruit every Spring and I really like the unique
flavor. That one is a keeper.

JoeP450

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2019, 09:24:34 AM »
Tried a pitomba once picked right off tree, gaged and spit it out... you will probably get a range of opinions on this but I'll never try one again, JMO but grumichama is far better.

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shaneatwell

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2019, 11:53:06 AM »
nm
Shane

K-Rimes

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2019, 12:52:09 PM »
I too have had some hard luck with these, as well as pitangatuba (I theorize that the 100-110f temps and low inland humidity at my house cook the leaves).

After watching them all defoliate in the first week or two after arrival, I have FINALLY seen some new growth on my seedlings. Oddly enough, the cheapest one which I purchased off eBay is doing best.

Hoping they aren't truly awful if / when they fruit. It seems most every Brazilian fruit needs to be so ripe it falls off the stem before it is truly tasty. The same is true of pitanga.

silbae0487

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2019, 11:26:10 PM »
I think: Yes.

I try 3 times .... only one left :)

buddy roo

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2019, 03:14:08 AM »
like any other fruit there is good and bad. good ones are well worth growing

pineislander

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2019, 07:42:14 AM »
Pitomba has great taste anyone eating a ripe one would like it. It's small don't expect a mango. Look at the climate of Bahia Brazil where it is native to see what it likes. If you don't have that climate results may vary.
My neighbor has a very old tree which is completey untended and makes great fruit here in SW Florida.

Climate of Bahia:
https://en.climate-data.org/south-america/brazil/ceara/bahia-314209/

kimjy3

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2019, 09:44:54 AM »
I have one growing away very slowly...hopefully it will fruit one day :P I have never allowed the soil to dry out and I think the humidity here helps out also. It recently started pushing out new growth after months of stalling. Seems very prone to getting scale insects and maybe they are contributing to its slow growth.

Vernmented

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2019, 10:12:50 AM »
I have a really good one. I think there is quite a bit of variation with this species. I know of quite a few people that don't like it but everyone that has tasted my tree has liked the fruit. I have eaten fruit off of a huge tree at Kampong in Coconut Grove that wasn't good. All of the trees I have tasted that were purchased from Ray Jones have been excellent. They taste like a strong spicy apricot. Unfortunately Ray Jones has passed away and I don't know where his seeds came from. I grafted on some branches from a friends tree from the same seed batch and I seem to be getting better pollination. I would plant these in at least pairs or graft or multigraft a single tree.

This is one of the best Eugenias I have eaten. Much better than grumichama and maybe even better that Zill Dark surinam.

« Last Edit: September 30, 2019, 10:16:12 AM by Vernmented »
-Josh

shpaz

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2019, 03:32:09 AM »
I have a really good one. I think there is quite a bit of variation with this species. I know of quite a few people that don't like it but everyone that has tasted my tree has liked the fruit. I have eaten fruit off of a huge tree at Kampong in Coconut Grove that wasn't good. All of the trees I have tasted that were purchased from Ray Jones have been excellent. They taste like a strong spicy apricot. Unfortunately Ray Jones has passed away and I don't know where his seeds came from. I grafted on some branches from a friends tree from the same seed batch and I seem to be getting better pollination. I would plant these in at least pairs or graft or multigraft a single tree.

This is one of the best Eugenias I have eaten. Much better than grumichama and maybe even better that Zill Dark surinam.

I'm willing to buy few seeds from you :)
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Fruit Monster

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2019, 02:35:50 AM »
As Vermented pointed out there is bound to be quite a bit of variation in the species. I find it hard to imagine anyone complaining about the delicious Apricot flavored fruits from my tree. 100% a top tier Eugenia.
Perhaps if growing in Arizona the harsh dry summers could be difficult for the young plants. You could try surrounding  them with a ring of Pigeon peas or some other sort of nurse plants to help them get established.

K-Rimes

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Re: Is pitomba worth growing for the fruits?
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2020, 02:06:01 PM »
Bringing this thread back rather than a new one - I would like to point out that I had several Pitomba seedlings I purchased this year that all suffered really hard. They all pretty much died back to nothing and I left them for dead completely uncovered in 9b. They have ALL come back with fresh growth, and they were hammered with hail, totally defoliated, and took 26f for a few hours.

Pitomba are starting to get a "tough as nails" ranking in my books. I would say on this alone they are worth trying out. I have some seeds coming soon. :)