The Tropical Fruit Forum

What worked well for me: Fresh seed, 48 hour soak then plant, more heat equals quicker germination.  Do not try to crack the shell, it's risky and entirely unnecessary.

Guaquica has the larger seeds of the two, at least of the seeds I received.

I don't have the striata but I do have the Australian - Sterculia quadrifida.  It hasn't flowered yet, I don't think it's entirely keen on growing in a pot and getting cut back every fall to put the greenhouse roof on.  Nice big leaves that are shed when the cold comes, light colored bark.

Anyone able to help?

Adam, I am trying to root some cuttings of a variety of Morus nigra right now.  The person I got them from said the fruit was truly fantastic and the tree is different than the usual black/Persian mulberries, it has a semi-weeping habit where it grows down and then back up.  If they take I have one with your name on it.  I also am growing Illinois Everbearing and Pakistan.  The Illinois Everbearing is fruiting itself senseless right now, the fruit are smaller but tasty.

Hi Null,

I'm interested in a pad of Torrance PCH#1 and Jeronimo M.V.

Thanks.

Found this image via google search.  Supposedly R. deliciosa / biriba on the left, R. mucosa / candongo on the right.  Whether or not they are just variations of the same species I have no idea.

Salts.  Here we can grow avocados that are cold hardy into the teens but they have trouble with soil salinity apparently and chlorosis when on their own roots.

PMed. 

I have not tasted Capulin cherries but I don't think the grafted selections are really supposed to be that much better from the average seedling, but you do have the assurance that they won't turn out to taste bad (seedlings can be very variable and some do end up tasting bad).  Then again I have heard that Capulin is one of those fruits that some people like but then others can taste the same fruit and detect an off-putting flavor that ruins it for them.  So maybe it depends on both the fruit's genetics and the human tastebuds (genetics?).  I dunno.  The real problem with Capulin is that it hasn't enjoyed the cultivation and selection like its famous sweet and sour cousins and so it will continue to fly under the radar for most until it can be worked with and developed more.  This will likely be an endeavor left to fruit enthusiasts - selections made in people's backyards instead of formal trial plantations.  I would like to grow out some trees and see if I end up with one that stacks up favorably with the other selections.

Anyways so Adam I would not be hesitant to go with a seedling, if you don't want to wait and see if it's good you could just source budwood and graft selections on to it.

I did notice that it germinates much better with some cold-stratification.  I had 1 out of about 30 sprout with fresh seed, so I dug up and cold stratified the unsprouted seeds for a month I think in the fridge, afterwards all of the seeds promptly germinated.  They were prone to rot as seedlings in my experience though.

As to its suitability for Florida, all I know is that it is reported to occur naturally at elevation, not unlike cherimoya which you mentioned.  There is one way to find out how well it does there - try it!

Citrus are naturally understory trees, they do best with some shade.

I received three seeds last August, soaked them in water for 48 hours, then planted them in deep pots with the top of the seed an inch or so below the soil and kept the soil moist.  If I remember correctly there is a part of the seed that stands out from the rest of the seed, this is where the root sprouts from so it should be planted downward.  All three sprouted and are doing fine.  They want to send down a long taproot so plan accordingly.  Once they get around a foot tall (30 cm.) they want lots of sun and grow quickly.  Good luck!

I have one about a foot tall that has flowered and is setting tiny fruits, but haven't tasted it yet.  It's supposed to be pretty good although I'm sure there is some variation.