The Tropical Fruit Forum

Thanks, guys.  I knew frangipani is plumeria and that has good connotations to me.  Musk is one of those things that can go either way but cantaloupe is often called musk melon & many of them are tasty so I assumed "musk" in this case was a good thing.  However, nasturtium also seemed to have a good connotation to me and I usually don't think of vomit as good <grin> so always best to check.

John

Mike, your posts got me checking what Aus has to offer in papayas and I found lots of interesting language in descriptions -- nasturtium (which we now know is "vomit taste"), frangipani, and musk.  (see http://www.papayaseed.com.au/ ).  I am assuming that "musk" must be the traditional pleasant Hawaiian Solo flavor.  Can you enlighten us as to what "frangipani" implies?  I'm hoping something good because it sounds pleasant enough but I am guessing it may not be as "nasturtium" doesn't sound bad either.

John

The yellows have more of the nasturtium (industry word for vomit taste) character than do the reds and bisex papayas also have this quality reduced.Solos are good standards without this disagrreable quality.In Australia the commercial types don't have nasturtium going on either.Long bisex reds,SE Asian types and papayas grown in hot conditions have lower risk of this quality.If you are a fan of 'nasturtium (just as there are fans of 'turpentine' in mangoes) I suggest yellow cannonball shaped papaya grown in a cool place for maximum nasturtium.

I haven't tried this but intend to.  I am planning on topworking male trees if I have an excess and add female scions.  I don't see why you should have any difficulty grafting the same species onto the same species (I think that is what you are suggesting).  I am planning this for Baccaurea spp. and maybe some other trees.

John

I know that there is usually a ratio of 1 male to >1 female tree, but I think that only falls into the world of commercial growers.  For those of us home enthusiasts, my thinking is that a single tree would be "fine".  The advantages of cocktail trees as I've heard them are different varieties or even different seasons on a single tree.  But what about being able to have one root stock support a required dioecious (right term?) tree?

Has anyone tried or is currently doing this?

I know this topic has been discussed quite a few times before. Most conversations were about trees more suitable for FL. However not much talk about other exotic species. ... Can cupuassu fruit well under canopy? Being closely related to cacao I suspect it would. Anyone with practical experience?

I don't have firsthand experience but visiting a nearby grower who had cupuassu being shaded in by his durians.  The tree was about 2 yrs old and was flowering.  I haven't visited him for a while so I don't know if it has fruited.

John

Thanks Hikoku & Mike.  I wasn't familiar with these plants but they sound like a good addition -- sounds like you could make some really interesting fruit gels with them.  I would be interested as well if anyone has a source.

John

OK, so the Aussie native orange (Capparis lasiaantha) sounds like a loser.  Previous discussion on the topic seemed to reveal few, if any, winners in the Aussie bush tucker.  Any opinions regarding Diploglottis spp. (I have small leaf tamarind, D. campbellii)?  How about lemon aspen (Acronychia acidula -- I think there was an earlier post indicating it was too acid or too assertive or something along those lines)?

Finally, something more like a spice, lemon scented myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)?  I have heard comments that it is "more lemon than lemon" and sounds intriguing as a spice / flavoring.

John

Here is an inquiry to our Aussie friends:  what is your opinion of Capparis lasiantha (I have seen this called "native orange").  I have seen various things about it in print and would like to get the straight story from our friends in Oz.  (By the way, for those who are not familiar with it, this is not even remotely a citrus fruit; it is in the caper family.)

Thanks,
John

Roy Danforth describes it as one of the Congo's finest fruits.  According to Roy: "The flavor is similar to an apple and the texture is like a pear.  These fruits are tasty and filling, but Westerners tend to label them too soft or mushy, if they are too ripe."  Very weird looking fruit.  However, a grower in Puerto Rico was not at all fond of them so I am not banking on it being great.

Roy also confirms that Whitman had a tree (a two year old tree survived two nights of 32F).

Thanks,
John

I think Whitman had one, in his fruits from Zaire section of his book...and it never really set fruits, although it flowered.

I wonder what the fruit is like...sorry I don't have more info.

William, it is possible that you have a point about the one side of a scion thing, I am a bit skeptical.  When top working an existing tree, the scion is always much smaller than the tree and it only gets "fed" from one side where the contact occurs but the success rate of these grafts is often high. 

I will be interested in how this grafting method turns out.  The end result should turn out like some grafts I did top working some trees for my father.  I used two scions with the idea that the second was "insurance" and would be removed.  My father hated to "waste" anything so would leave both.  The result was a crotch in the tree and the graft union seemed fine for well over 10 yrs.

John

Interesting,  although this could work, only problems I see are that the active root nutrients will only be coming on one side of the scion instead of 2 sides.   also i would be worried that the union between the two scions may dry out or rot before they "mend".  really only way to find out for sure is to experiment like your doing.  hope it works

I don't know if members are aware of this site but I came across it while researching Garcinias:

http://plantsforuse.com/index.php?page=1&id=89#95

It does also have a limited number of other genera on the site.

John

Thanks, DL.  When we last visited Malaysia, cell phones were not common yet so we did not have to worry about drivers talking on cells or texting (I'm sure that adds some complexity).  Our driving was not all on highways -- we had a VERY interesting drive up to the Cameron highlands where, in pouring rain on what looked like one lane roads with steep drop offs, big tour buses would pass you at high speed.  Lots of fun.  Maybe we'll try a rental car next time we go to Borneo & do some fruit exploring...

John

Hi Derek,

Do all of the ag research stations in Sarawak allow public access like your park in Tenom or do you have to make special arrangements in advance? 

I would like to visit Borneo at some point again in the future -- we visited Kota Kinabulu years ago but did not rent a car & I do not recall the drivers being particularly scary (although it is easier not to notice when not driving).  Are the drivers / driving conditions much different from peninsular Malaysia?  They did not seem too bad there (outside of Georgetown on Penang where it seemed that any manner of vehicle you could imagine -- & some you might not -- were coming at you continuously from all angles).  Of course, the use of turn indicators there seem to mean any number of things and, sometimes it seemed, nothing at all.

Good luck with your trip!
John

I think Tradewinds fruit had them listed earlier.  However, if you look at the Sunshine seeds thread, you'll see that ordering from them can be hit or miss.

John