Parking Lot Fruit! This one for Lycheeluva!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I remember Lychee saying. "what is a parking lot fruit"

Well here is the answer! Loquat.. is one, and a parking lot fruit is found in parking lots, near office buildings, all over central FL...something we take for granite here!  I didn't realize that the luxury of these healthful fruits being in abundance and for free, isn't available to those in NY...like Lycheeluva...God bless his amazing collection up there!

I'm wondering what you'd consider a parking lot fruit by you?  All sorts of nuts, but any cherries, or apples you eat? Finding them around NY, near offices and such?  Here is citrus, ptanga, loquat, cattley guava, jelly palm, avocado, and a few others I'm forgetting...

Just curious!

Thanks!

[lycheeluva]

i have never seen any fruit tree growing in a public lot. id give anything to be able to amble into parking lots to feast on loquats, guava and other goodies

[fruitlovers]

There are parking lots here that use breadfruit and also have seen allspice in shopping centers. Most landscapers in the past have steered away from what they view as "messy" fruit trees, except for coconuts, which have to be climbed and cleaned of all fruit periodically, lest somebody's head gets banged up and they get sued. But now with bad economy there is the beginning of a people movement to plant more edibles on public and private land.
Oscar

[lycheeluva]

when im preisdent of the world, i will make it compulsory to plant fruit trees on every unused foot of public land, with lychees and mangoes to feature prominently

[FlyingFoxFruits]

i have never seen any fruit tree growing in a public lot. id give my left tit to be able to amble into parking lots to feast on loquats, guava and other goodies

Whats shipping cost?  Less than a tit!

Just have a buddy pickem and sendem!

Loquats typically don't ship well, but it can be done.  Ive seen much more fragile fruit mailed.

[BMc]

The best 'parking lot fruit' here is the bunya nut. With the big female cones getting to around 10kg, they can make a bit of a mess in public. A $300000-odd BMW had its roof heavily dented and windscreen and windows blown out after one fell from the crown of a 50m+ tall tree!

We have mostly the same as Adam's list plus sour tamarind, Inga sp., hawaiian type guava, mac nut, small persimmons and more in the 'park trees' category is mango (kensington pride and turpentine) elephant apple and sometimes black sapote. Unfortunately the over abundance of the large guavas especially contribute to the huge numbers of pests - QLD fruit fly, possums and fruit bats especially.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I know down south Mango is parking lot fruit! I see em all the time, usually tommy atkins and haden..all pretty but taste schmidty.

Here in Central FL, you would be so surprised to see all the 20-30ft mango trees with blooms!!!  Always protected perfectly, and thriving well, contradicting natural laws!

I have taken some pics, but haven't taken the time to upload them, so you must take my word instead.

[Squam256]

There are some fruit trees that are used in landscaping here in Florida....including loquat, surinam cherry (used as a hedge), and strawberry (cattley) guava.

[fruitlovers]

I know down south Mango is parking lot fruit! I see em all the time, usually tommy atkins and haden..all pretty but taste schmidty.

Here in Central FL, you would be so surprised to see all the 20-30ft mango trees with blooms!!!  Always protected perfectly, and thriving well, contradicting natural laws!

I have taken some pics, but haven't taken the time to upload them, so you must take my word instead.

That reminds me of some mangos here in parking lots, usually far away from the parking so the fruits don't smash the cars. Ofcourse lots of mangos and tons of wild guavas all along the roads. A popular landscape fruit here in beach parks and shopping centers is natal plum. Most people don't even know they're edible. There are also date palms planted on dry side beach parks.
Oscar

[zands]

There are parking lots here that use breadfruit and also have seen allspice in shopping centers. Most landscapers in the past have steered away from what they view as "messy" fruit trees, except for coconuts, which have to be climbed and cleaned of all fruit periodically, lest somebody's head gets banged up and they get sued. But now with bad economy there is the beginning of a people movement to plant more edibles on public and private land.
Oscar

I see lots of town planted coconuts here in South Florida. Planted in parks and medians etc.  Old school was to plant coconuts that beared fruit. These days they plant non-bearing trees being afraid of lawsuits from idiots climbing trees and falling I suppose.... Also no clean up. In Oroville California I saw municipal tangerine trees. In San Antonio Texas I saw municipal pecan trees

[zands]

I remember Lychee saying. "what is a parking lot fruit"

Well here is the answer! Loquat.. is one, and a parking lot fruit is found in parking lots, near office buildings, all over central FL...something we take for granite here!  I didn't realize that the luxury of these healthful fruits being in abundance and for free, isn't available to those in NY...like Lycheeluva...God bless his amazing collection up there!

I have some roadside loquat I picked recently. In Queens, NYC there was a pear tree semi-hidden in a stand of other trees near the Union Turnpike subway. Small pears, I used to raid that tree. We have "parking lot" ducks here South Florida that are Muscovy ducks. Those are free for the taking too. You could oven roast it along with a loquat stuffing. Yummmm you are giving me ideas.

[nullzero]

Over here in Southern California I see a lot of Arbutus unedo (also called Strawberry Tree), its popular for landscaping. The fruits are actually really tasty, they are like a strawberry in taste with a dry chewy texture. Loquat trees are naturalized over here, its not uncommon to see them growing in vacant lots, yards, older strip malls, and in the areas with a decent seasonal water table.

[fruitlovers]

Over here in Southern California I see a lot of Arbutus unedo (also called Strawberry Tree), its popular for landscaping. The fruits are actually really tasty, they are like a strawberry in taste with a dry chewy texture. Loquat trees are naturalized over here, its not uncommon to see them growing in vacant lots, yards, older strip malls, and in the areas with a decent seasonal water table.

I remember UCSD campus in La Jolla had strawberry trees all over the place, but the fruits of those were extremely bland. Most of those trees are selected for looks, not good quality fruits.
Oscar

[nullzero]

Over here in Southern California I see a lot of Arbutus unedo (also called Strawberry Tree), its popular for landscaping. The fruits are actually really tasty, they are like a strawberry in taste with a dry chewy texture. Loquat trees are naturalized over here, its not uncommon to see them growing in vacant lots, yards, older strip malls, and in the areas with a decent seasonal water table.

I remember UCSD campus in La Jolla had strawberry trees all over the place, but the fruits of those were extremely bland. Most of those trees are selected for looks, not good quality fruits.
Oscar

Tasted some in Mission Viejo, they were good enough to want more.

[fruitlovers]

Arbutus unedo grows great also in coldern northern California. Noticed fruiting trees in Monterey. I tried to start seeds here several times with no luck.
Oscar

[nullzero]

Arbutus unedo grows great also in coldern northern California. Noticed fruiting trees in Monterey. I tried to start seeds here several times with no luck.
Oscar

I think this tree has a lot of potential if selections were made. The fruit is entirely edible with small seeds, the ones I tried had great flavor. Not sure if anyone in the CRFG made selections of Arbutus unedo. I did a search on germinating Arbutus unedo, a few sites say to use cold stratification to improve germination. This may be some help;

http://www.jbr.gr/papers20061/09-Smiris.pdf

[fruitlovers]

Arbutus unedo grows great also in coldern northern California. Noticed fruiting trees in Monterey. I tried to start seeds here several times with no luck.
Oscar

I think this tree has a lot of potential if selections were made. The fruit is entirely edible with small seeds, the ones I tried had great flavor. Not sure if anyone in the CRFG made selections of Arbutus unedo. I did a search on germinating Arbutus unedo, a few sites say to use cold stratification to improve germination. This may be some help;

http://www.jbr.gr/papers20061/09-Smiris.pdf

I agree strawberry tree has a lot of potential. In USA it's mostly used as an ornamental landscaping tree. In Europe selections have been made for good edible fruits, but it seems these selections are not available here? Thanks to the document on germinating the seeds. I have tried cold stratification but it did not help in getting them to germinate. I had not thought of trying GA3, but will do that next time.
Oscar