Just in: GIANT YELLOW MEGALANTHUS SEEDS FROM PERU XL

[spaugh]

I know someone (on this forum) who got his first fruit from a plant originating from these seeds. He said it was no different in size from the standard megalanthus, but wanted to wait another season in the hope that the fruit might get better.
I am not optimistic.
Carlos also told me that the giant Peruvian was naturally thornless, however I think this is another lie. Basically, Carlos has just been selling seeds of fruit imported from Peru, which probably just had the thorns manually removed. Carlos said he is growing it himself, but never uploaded a single photo and won't sell a cutting even though that would maintain the true-to-typeness. Then there is the problem of hybridization, either from Peru or from Carlos (who told me he grows 30 cultivars). He doesn't respond to any of these issues raised ~ just keeps accepting orders and sending out seeds.

Please post a photo of the vines.  The reason I am asking for this is I have seedling plants of various store bought peru and ecudor large yellow fruit but havent fruited yet.  But the vines do not look at all like the normal skinny wavy megalanthus vines that have been around forever.  Would be interesting to see what your friends vines look like as the "standard" yellow vines have a very distinct look.

[echinopora]

I’m probably who he’s talking about. I’ve given away quite a few of these cuttings with the warning that I haven’t gotten a giant fruit yet. The vines are still young so I’d give them 2 more years so before making the call. So far the growth is different from the regular mega (less scalloped) but the fruit have retained the dimpled look and do have spines. Fruit have only been golf ball sized from 2 seedlings. The third I kept has yet to fruit.

Post image is not working right now but I just went out and took some pics, will post when the site works again.

Rob

[echinopora]

https://imgur.com/a/QZOkLVm
Link to pics

[spaugh]

Thanks, those are nice pics and yes vines look much different. 

Just out of curiosity what latitude are you at?  You live in Australia?  You are in a more tropical area or subtropical?  Just wondering if these giant yellow plants really need a longer hot season to fully size up or its purely genetic. 

[echinopora]

I’m at 28.26S, about 3km from the ocean. Pretty much coastal subtropical. No frost, 70 inches of rainfall, my home weather station has stayed between 90 and 40 for the last 5 years.