Author Topic: Excalibur Visit - Finally  (Read 9197 times)

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Excalibur Visit - Finally
« on: December 09, 2016, 09:51:28 AM »
I am finally getting the time to visit Excalibur today.

I was told before that someone there would give me a tour of this lovely place.

I'm going to spend some $$.  ;)

Who should I ask for?

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2016, 11:56:13 AM »
I will be there at 1:30.

Help me remember the contacts please.  Haven't been to the forum much this year so can't recall the names.  Was it Richard and Rob or other?

TnTrobbie

  • runs with pruners
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1042
  • ZonePusher has a spot for that.
    • 10b + 9b FL
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2016, 11:59:08 AM »
Rob is there on the weekends (Saturday). Don't really know anyone else that works there. Murahillin on Saturdays as well.
The Earth laughs in flowers. And bear gifts through fruits.
No where to plant it ...but at least I got it. ;)
F*ck squirrels and deers

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2016, 12:15:49 PM »
Not sure who will be there today.  I highly doubt Richard will.  I am not.  May be Dennis, Roselvy or Mike.  I dont think Cristela will be there at that time either.
- Rob

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2016, 12:26:11 PM »
Was hoping to get to meet you Rob.  I think you're the one who originally invited me.

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2016, 01:21:13 PM »
Ran behind at doc office.  Won't arrive till 2p

Vernmented

  • Starry Nursery/Plant Hoarder/Zone Pusher/Biochar Enthusiast
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1331
    • USA, Florida, Sarasota, 9B/10A
    • View Profile
    • Starry Nursery Instagram
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2016, 09:09:44 PM »
Well, what did you get????  8)

I need to snatch up some white sapotes from there. Did you see any?
-Josh

kar1ma3

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 63
    • Jupiter, FL, USA
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2016, 10:30:57 PM »
Regarding white sapotes - I would not recommend Suebelle as it is good for CA, not that good for southern FL. Redlands possibly or ask others about white sapotes. Richard recommended (Suebelle) a few years ago, but I'm not happy. Do not buy trees in a larger than 7 gallon pot from Excalibur as you can get "bonsai" tree sitting for up to 10 years in 15, 25, 50 gallon pot. Those trees will grow super slow for up to 3 years, waste of money, any 3 gallon tree has a good chance to overgrow bonsai tree in 3 years. Not talking about jaboticabas when the age really matters. Many excalibur trees are growing in a shade, try to remember were it was sitting and slowly introduce to the sun, do not plant in a sunny spot next day. Place separately at home, look at the bottom of the leaves, wash with water and spray something like spinosad and later copper if needed.  If you ask for any tree and you will get the answer that they do not have - they possibly do not know what they are selling.. Cristela or Richard knows, but not many others, sorry. I asked for Sri Champoo longan, the answer was ... no. But I insisted and found few mixed in with other trees and actually I found close up to 10 different labeled longan varieties. I was wasting their time, I felt that way as I was checking every labeled tree. Not motivated sales persons - possibly. When I was asking for a few rare trees, they were pushing me to get a mango tree... Something like it is easier to grow... Yes, much easier to sell, but not to make customer happy... Richard thinks differently as he is behind the whole business. If you want to talk about the fruit tree, talk to Richard, if you want to find something, find Cristela. Good luck!
« Last Edit: December 09, 2016, 11:32:43 PM by kar1ma3 »

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2016, 01:33:49 AM »
Well, I arrived at 2pm, so I didn't get but a couple of hours to explore.  I ended up buying 12 trees.

I decided to go with some fairly common choices, as well as some exclusives.

My largest issue with the trees here was the J-hook grafts.  Trunks shaped like J-hooks drive me nuts.  Was very difficult to find trunks which were straight-grafted to my liking--otherwise I'd left with about 20 trees.  The young lady was quite patient with me while I conducted my OCD inspection marathon.

I acquired the following:

Mango - Nam Doc Mai
Mango - Coconut Cream
Mango - Harvest Moon
Lychee - Hak Ip
Star Fruit - Kari
Jackfruit - Excalibur Red
Avocado - Mexicola
Jujube - Thai Giant
Sapodilla - Excalibur
Mulberry - Green
Lime - Red
Guava - Excalibur Pink Variegated

There are some others I'm intending to get, but probably not until late winter or early spring.

edzone9

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2629
    • Zone 10 SW Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2016, 12:23:00 PM »
Nice Collection! What Size CC Mango did you go with ?

Ed
Zone 10

johnb51

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4785
    • USA Deerfield Beach, FL Zone 11a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2016, 12:39:39 PM »
Foley, AL, is due west of Pensacola by 30 miles.  Are you able to plant in the ground all the trees you purchased?
John

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2016, 01:01:38 PM »
I dont live in Foley anymore.  ;)

Updated.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2016, 01:48:42 PM by Viking Guy »

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2016, 01:03:18 PM »
Nice Collection! What Size CC Mango did you go with ?

Ed

3 gallon.  I will add some photos later.

The CC is a tall stick.  I need to cut its head off.

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2016, 05:20:37 PM »
Nice Collection! What Size CC Mango did you go with ?

Ed

3 gallon.  I will add some photos later.

The CC is a tall stick.  I need to cut its head off.

Due to its growth habit, I would highly recommend against topping the Coconut Cream.   It has.a very undulating growth habit.  Even branched 5+ feet up will wind up very close to or actually dragging on the ground.  This tree requires a lot of creative pruning as it ages, as stated in so many words on the ZHPP hanging tag.
- Rob

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2016, 05:41:26 PM »
Nice Collection! What Size CC Mango did you go with ?

Ed

3 gallon.  I will add some photos later.

The CC is a tall stick.  I need to cut its head off.

Due to its growth habit, I would highly recommend against topping the Coconut Cream.   It has.a very undulating growth habit.  Even branched 5+ feet up will wind up very close to or actually dragging on the ground.  This tree requires a lot of creative pruning as it ages, as stated in so many words on the ZHPP hanging tag.

Hmm, interesting.  I need to look that information up.  I tend to keep my trees under 12' if possible.  Is that going to be an issue for CC?

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2016, 06:51:07 PM »
Nice Collection! What Size CC Mango did you go with ?

Ed

3 gallon.  I will add some photos later.

The CC is a tall stick.  I need to cut its head off.

Due to its growth habit, I would highly recommend against topping the Coconut Cream.   It has.a very undulating growth habit.  Even branched 5+ feet up will wind up very close to or actually dragging on the ground.  This tree requires a lot of creative pruning as it ages, as stated in so many words on the ZHPP hanging tag.

Hmm, interesting.  I need to look that information up.  I tend to keep my trees under 12' if possible.  Is that going to be an issue for CC?

Will take a good amount of pruning and creative pruning unless you want an ornamental mango tree (meaning if you want it to produce fruit).  It is a vigorous grower,  both vertically and horizontally.
- Rob

Vernmented

  • Starry Nursery/Plant Hoarder/Zone Pusher/Biochar Enthusiast
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1331
    • USA, Florida, Sarasota, 9B/10A
    • View Profile
    • Starry Nursery Instagram
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2016, 07:03:07 PM »
It's like the flying dragon of mangos. It is all curvy and wonky with the branches growing down and upside down. Awesome fruit.
-Josh

Cookie Monster

  • Broward, FL Zone 10b
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4751
  • Eye like mangoes
    • Tamarac, FL, 33321, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #17 on: December 10, 2016, 10:16:48 PM »
CC is extremely easy to maintain to 10 - 12 feet tall, as the branches droop vs growing vertical. It's literally the oddest mango tree of the couple dozen cultivars I grow. Once the tree is old enough (~4 years in ground), you can select a few scaffold branches and then the rest will literally lie on top of those, like a thatch roof.
Jeff  :-)

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #18 on: December 10, 2016, 10:23:25 PM »
CC is extremely easy to maintain to 10 - 12 feet tall, as the branches droop vs growing vertical. It's literally the oddest mango tree of the couple dozen cultivars I grow. Once the tree is old enough (~4 years in ground), you can select a few scaffold branches and then the rest will literally lie on top of those, like a thatch roof.

Disagree totally on being easy to maintain.  You need to see my tree (which I got from you in summer of 2011) and the tree at Walter's.  If jc reads this he can tell hlu about his, which had similar growth habit as mine and Walter's.
- Rob

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #19 on: December 10, 2016, 11:11:20 PM »
CC is extremely easy to maintain to 10 - 12 feet tall, as the branches droop vs growing vertical. It's literally the oddest mango tree of the couple dozen cultivars I grow. Once the tree is old enough (~4 years in ground), you can select a few scaffold branches and then the rest will literally lie on top of those, like a thatch roof.

Disagree totally on being easy to maintain.  You need to see my tree (which I got from you in summer of 2011) and the tree at Walter's.  If jc reads this he can tell hlu about his, which had similar growth habit as mine and Walter's.

I incredibly appreciate your advice Rob.

That helps me a good deal with planning where to place it.

Looks like I can plan to give it a larger area and maintain it accordingly.

I love unique trees, and am glad to hear this one has a different style to go along with its tasty fruit.

Cookie Monster

  • Broward, FL Zone 10b
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4751
  • Eye like mangoes
    • Tamarac, FL, 33321, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #20 on: December 11, 2016, 12:15:55 AM »
I've got two, both from the 2011 batch with trunk girths close to the size of my thigh. Of the 20+ mango cultivars I have in ground here, CC is the easiest to maintain at a 10 - 12 foot height, since the growth habit is horizontal vs vertical. The trees never really gain height -- new growth just flops over. One tree is in a gigantic compost pit and receives more nitrogen that I would like, and the other is growing on about 18 inches of palm beach loamy sand mixed with muck.

The original patent application that Gary Zill filed also references it being small and manageable:

Growth habit.—Low, spreading and open.
Height.—Less than 457.2 cm.
Vigor.—Medium to low.


https://www.google.com/patents/US20120216323

At the other end of the spectrum are trees like lemon zest and okrung which have a vertical growth habit and can easily put on 5 feet of vertical growth in a single season.

CC is extremely easy to maintain to 10 - 12 feet tall, as the branches droop vs growing vertical. It's literally the oddest mango tree of the couple dozen cultivars I grow. Once the tree is old enough (~4 years in ground), you can select a few scaffold branches and then the rest will literally lie on top of those, like a thatch roof.

Disagree totally on being easy to maintain.  You need to see my tree (which I got from you in summer of 2011) and the tree at Walter's.  If jc reads this he can tell hlu about his, which had similar growth habit as mine and Walter's.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2016, 12:20:10 AM by Cookie Monster »
Jeff  :-)

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #21 on: December 11, 2016, 12:30:13 AM »
I've got two, both from the 2011 batch with trunk girths close to the size of my thigh. Of the 20+ mango cultivars I have in ground here, CC is the easiest to maintain at a 10 - 12 foot height, since the growth habit is horizontal vs vertical. The trees never really gain height -- new growth just flops over. One tree is in a gigantic compost pit and receives more nitrogen that I would like, and the other is growing on about 18 inches of palm beach loamy sand mixed with muck.

The original patent application that Gary Zill filed also references it being small and manageable:

Growth habit.—Low, spreading and open.
Height.—Less than 457.2 cm.
Vigor.—Medium to low.


https://www.google.com/patents/US20120216323

At the other end of the spectrum are trees like lemon zest and okrung which have a vertical growth habit and can easily put on 5 feet of vertical growth in a single season.

CC is extremely easy to maintain to 10 - 12 feet tall, as the branches droop vs growing vertical. It's literally the oddest mango tree of the couple dozen cultivars I grow. Once the tree is old enough (~4 years in ground), you can select a few scaffold branches and then the rest will literally lie on top of those, like a thatch roof.

Disagree totally on being easy to maintain.  You need to see my tree (which I got from you in summer of 2011) and the tree at Walter's.  If jc reads this he can tell hlu about his, which had similar growth habit as mine and Walter's.

Great, great information.  That was just the link I needed.  Thank you, CMG!

I need similar info on these Excalibur varieties.

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #22 on: December 11, 2016, 12:45:08 AM »
Jeff - I know that was in the patent description but years later the descr9changed.  I have geard those at ZHPP describe it as vigorous and read the description on his current plant hanger.

While mine spreads and branches undulate, it also grows vertically quite fast.  Easily bigger than my LZ, and both I git from you on same day in 2011.
- Rob

Viking Guy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 787
  • AKME Gardens
    • USA, AL, Silverhill, 8B
    • View Profile
    • AKME Gardens Website
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #23 on: December 11, 2016, 01:03:07 AM »
Mine is roughly 5 feet in a 3g pot.  Has no branching yet.  Look quite lush for a stick.

Didn't realize this gets larger than LZ.

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Excalibur Visit - Finally
« Reply #24 on: December 11, 2016, 01:10:24 AM »
Mine is roughly 5 feet in a 3g pot.  Has no branching yet.  Look quite lush for a stick.

Didn't realize this gets larger than LZ.

Not sure why but I have seen variability with LZ.  I have aeen some with strong vigor and some with medium...these comparisons mainly from trees originating from ZHPP.

Before both started fruiting, my CC put out many more flushes per season than my LZ
- Rob

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk