Author Topic: First safou harvest  (Read 5617 times)

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
First safou harvest
« on: August 02, 2019, 12:30:27 PM »
Something exciting for us that stands out from the incredible fruit harvest we are currently getting is the harvest of safou. It’s fascinating how these beautiful fruits take about 6 months to develop into a bright pink oval shape, then slowly turn into a dark, royal blue. We pick them at this stage and let them ripen like avocadoes which is kind of what they are like, with an olive like after taste. Quite good.
Peter




Jungle Yard

  • @onlinetropicals
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 280
  • 10A, 1.3 mi. from the coast
    • USA, Florida, Sarasota
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2019, 01:00:58 PM »
Something to be proud of! Congrats!
Zone Pusher

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2019, 05:41:17 PM »
Neat! How long did they take to fruit? I'm growing a couple of kinds of safous myself, but the plants are still pretty small. What size are those fruits in your photo?
Oscar

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2019, 06:53:13 PM »
Hi Oscar, the safou trees are about 6 years old.  Some of the seed came from fruit sold in Germany by Orkos and the others from another farm in CR.  I should have posted a photo that better illustrates the fruit size. They are about 3” long or more and about an inch wide.
Supposedly they are diocious but I’m not sure.  The one production tree flowered heavily.  I did see a very few flowers on another tree that didn’t set but for a very short time and it’s hard to believe that could have accomplished all this pollination.
I’m posting a couple more pics of the tree size and the flowers just beginning to set fruit.
Peter




ScottR

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2222
    • USA,Arroyo Grande,Calif. 93420,zone 9b
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2019, 07:11:27 PM »
Concrat's Peter, that is for sure a beautiful fruit do you happen to no any kind of cold tolerance this safou has?

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2019, 09:47:13 PM »
Safou has been one of the most difficult things to get information on.  It’s from Africa and much of Africa is dry, like California but it seems to come from a more tropical, wet area.  But this seems to span Cameroon, to the Congo.  There are highlands there.  Maybe one of our members from central Africa might know more.  It’s a very attractive tree with a good, avocado like fruit.
Peter

Daintree

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1209
    • Boise, Idaho - zone 6, with a zone 12 greenhouse...
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2019, 10:00:38 PM »
Thanks Peter! 

Great info to have!  I have to admit extreme jealousy, though!!!

I have safou in my greenhouse and they have not flowered yet, and they are just over 4 years old.  The seeds came from Cameroon. 

Where these grow normally, there is a wet season and a dry season, but I have not stressed them by withholding water.  Do you have a wet and dry season, or have they had consistent water year-round?

And I agree, they are not common in cultivation. Even in Cameroon, they don't really plant them, they just let the ones with the tastiest fruit grow naturally.  There is NOTHING about the cultural requirements of this fruit.  I have a had a few problems with over-fertilization (and I hardly gave them anything, but they burned).
What do you feed yours, if anything? Are they in full sun, or part shade?

If you have any tricks, I would love to talk more with you about your trees!!!!!!

My daughter-in-law is frothing at the mouth for mine to set fruit, and I hate it when I disappoint her!

Cheers, Carolyn




fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2019, 10:16:59 PM »
Hi Peter, thanks for the extra info and photos. I've got a few in the ground and just got a couple of plants that is supposed to have giant sized fruits. Apparently there are quite a few different types in Africa.
Carolyn, i'm just feeding mine with a slow release fertilizer and mulched around the plants. They seem fussy at first when small, but once they start growing they can take off.
I will probably have safou seeds available in 1-2 weeks if anyone is interested then PM me.
Oscar

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2019, 11:23:06 PM »
What are you thoughts on if they are dioecious? I just bought a single sapling today and I think i'm going to have to find it some friends.

Orkine

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1274
    • Jupiter, FL, USA
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2019, 11:24:19 PM »
Ube in southern Nigeria, popularly eaten roasted.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2019, 11:53:52 PM »
What are you thoughts on if they are dioecious? I just bought a single sapling today and I think i'm going to have to find it some friends.
Yes you are going to need more than one plant for cross pollination.
Oscar

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2019, 12:26:59 AM »
When I asked today the seller told me I only needed one but there was also only one there.. I'm planning to get some more regardless. But I will enquire about it because I think the seller was thinking of a tree that produced by itself.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2019, 06:19:28 AM »
When I asked today the seller told me I only needed one but there was also only one there.. I'm planning to get some more regardless. But I will enquire about it because I think the seller was thinking of a tree that produced by itself.
Unless it's a hermaphrodite it will not be possible because this species is dioecious (separate male and female trees).
https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=rjmp.2011.32.41
Oscar

shot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 967
    • usa fl bokeelia 10
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2019, 09:17:54 AM »
How large was the safou plant?
 Question unrelated,have you ever propagating salac palm from pups?I wanted to take known females and males pups to take out the guesswork from seed.

ScottR

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2222
    • USA,Arroyo Grande,Calif. 93420,zone 9b
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #14 on: August 03, 2019, 11:29:49 AM »
Safou has been one of the most difficult things to get information on.  It’s from Africa and much of Africa is dry, like California but it seems to come from a more tropical, wet area.  But this seems to span Cameroon, to the Congo.  There are highlands there.  Maybe one of our members from central Africa might know more.  It’s a very attractive tree with a good, avocado like fruit.
Peter

Thanks Peter, for pic's and information on this fruit look's very interesting I think that it might not be to cold hardy in that it comes from tropical Africa. Any body know if seeds are prone to come male or female prominently ?

HIfarm

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1145
    • Paukaa, HI, USA zone 12b
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #15 on: August 03, 2019, 12:58:28 PM »
Safou has been one of the most difficult things to get information on.  It’s from Africa and much of Africa is dry, like California but it seems to come from a more tropical, wet area.  But this seems to span Cameroon, to the Congo.  There are highlands there.  Maybe one of our members from central Africa might know more.  It’s a very attractive tree with a good, avocado like fruit.
Peter
Congrats on fruiting this Peter, you'll have to be sure to post more info as you learn more about the trees by growing them.

There's not a lot of info on these online but there is a lot more than many other African fruits.  The Lost Crops of Africa book devotes an entire chapter to this one.  At lot of the info in the chapter is marginally useful fluff (sounds like it is geared towards UN bureaucrats) but there is also some good solid info in there as well.  If you do not have the book, it used to be possible to find a free pdf copy online.  There are also various articles on it and, of course, the Roy Danforth / Paul Noren book on Congo fruits.

Daintree

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1209
    • Boise, Idaho - zone 6, with a zone 12 greenhouse...
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2019, 04:37:23 PM »
Even the male trees may produce a few female flowers, and fruit. 
What I have wanted for quite a while are some really good, close-up photos of the male and female flowers.
Anybody have any of those?????

Carolyn

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2019, 05:31:42 PM »
Safou has been one of the most difficult things to get information on.  It’s from Africa and much of Africa is dry, like California but it seems to come from a more tropical, wet area.  But this seems to span Cameroon, to the Congo.  There are highlands there.  Maybe one of our members from central Africa might know more.  It’s a very attractive tree with a good, avocado like fruit.
Peter
Congrats on fruiting this Peter, you'll have to be sure to post more info as you learn more about the trees by growing them.

There's not a lot of info on these online but there is a lot more than many other African fruits.  The Lost Crops of Africa book devotes an entire chapter to this one.  At lot of the info in the chapter is marginally useful fluff (sounds like it is geared towards UN bureaucrats) but there is also some good solid info in there as well.  If you do not have the book, it used to be possible to find a free pdf copy online.  There are also various articles on it and, of course, the Roy Danforth / Paul Noren book on Congo fruits.
I also found this article. It's mostly about the medicinal uses of safou and it's a techinical article, but some good info in there. http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/academicjournals/rjmp/2011/32-41.pdf
Oscar

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2019, 06:51:35 PM »
My farm is organic so no conventual fertilizer.  Where the safou are is a clay loam of about 6.1. Ph.  We mulch and apply biochar with occasional application of microorganisms.  Recently they got some seaweed and rock phosphate.
The safou responded to a short dry period from late December to early February that seemed to induce the flowering.  There is some canopy around them and I feel it would be better to have more sun.  The other person who has safou in production in CR has them in the sun and is in an area with a more pronounced dry season than what I have.

While an individual tree might possibly produce on its own I think it would be irresponsible to promote it as such unless you really knew that it came from a hermaphrodite tree.

Salak can be divided but it’s not so easy.  We pick a low sucker, attach a pot with medium to it and begin cutting to separate it.  I cut half way through, wait 2 weeks and cut half what’s left, and again until it pulls off.  Simply dividing them without this process has had a poor result.
Peter

shot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 967
    • usa fl bokeelia 10
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2019, 10:47:42 PM »
Is  the safou tree 10 foot or so?

Thanks for the good info on salac palms

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #20 on: August 04, 2019, 04:08:51 PM »
The tree in the photo is about 30’ and the trunk is 6” thick.
I am posting another photo of the fruits.


Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2019, 06:00:22 PM »
Hi Peter

Is the taste similar to Dabai?

Finca La Isla

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2129
    • Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean coast
    • View Profile
    • finca la isla
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2019, 10:52:09 PM »
That’s a good question.  I’ve never tasted Dabai. That’s another thing that I have planted and has still not produced.  When I was in Borneo last year it was out of season.
Peter

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #23 on: August 06, 2019, 05:38:41 AM »
They are from the same family would be interesting to compare they both have similar taste descriptions

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: First safou harvest
« Reply #24 on: August 06, 2019, 05:51:29 AM »
Just checked my email and the seller says that they have a single safou that bears well. I know they live rural and I doubt there would be another one anywhere close to them. Can you tell which of your trees are male and female Peter?