Eugenia Article/Presentation

[Sven]

I just found this article and thought some of you might be interested.

http://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/12334688/promising-eugenia-for-southern-california-california-rare-fruit-

[Berto]

Soren,
Nice article!
I believe that pitagatuba (eugenia neonitida), not mentioned in the article,  is an extremely easy to grow eugenia. Pitangatuba is easily grown in a large pot.  Here in SW Florida, they fruit from April to November if properly fed and watered.
Another fantastic eugenia, in my opinion, is eugenia candolleana (ameixa-da-mata/cambui roxo/murta/rainforest plum, also not mentioned in the article.  So many eugenias to choose from........

[fruitlovers]

Nice presentation from Tom Del Hotal. But i agree with Berto...the folks in California are a bit behind the times on their potential for growing great eugenia species. I remember bringing this up with Tom at the Pomona conference a few years ago during the same presentation. And i see he has added a few new species of eugenias to his presentation. I just had Ben Poirier from S. California over and he didn't know what E. candolleana or E. neonitida were. And he's a nurseryman. So Tom is not alone. But i think also there are many other great eugenias out there i don't know about. This is a HUGE genus with over 1000 species, so i guess that's not surprising. There's still a whole lot info out there to be discovered by most of us.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Nice presentation from Tom Del Hotal. But i agree with Berto...the folks in California are a bit behind the times on their potential for growing great eugenia species. I remember bringing this up with Tom at the Pomona conference a few years ago during the same presentation. And i see he has added a few new species of eugenias to his presentation. I just had Ben Poirier from S. California over and he didn't know what E. candolleana or E. neonitida were. And he's a nurseryman. So Tom is not alone. But i think also there are many other great eugenias out there i don't know about. This is a HUGE genus with over 1000 species, so i guess that's not surprising. There's still a whole lot info out there to be discovered by most of us.

Ben must have been confused..he's got  Eugenia neonitida seeds from me already.

[fruitlovers]

Nice presentation from Tom Del Hotal. But i agree with Berto...the folks in California are a bit behind the times on their potential for growing great eugenia species. I remember bringing this up with Tom at the Pomona conference a few years ago during the same presentation. And i see he has added a few new species of eugenias to his presentation. I just had Ben Poirier from S. California over and he didn't know what E. candolleana or E. neonitida were. And he's a nurseryman. So Tom is not alone. But i think also there are many other great eugenias out there i don't know about. This is a HUGE genus with over 1000 species, so i guess that's not surprising. There's still a whole lot info out there to be discovered by most of us.

Ben must have been confused..he's got  Eugenia neonitida seeds from me already.

OK, maybe it was just the candolleana he didn't know about. My memory is a bit blurry now. Maybe that was a bad example, but the point is the same.

[Sven]

Hey guys, I volunteer to try them here!  At least the species that might have a chance down two 27 F (-3 C) or so.  So far I’ve only got a Surinam cherry fruiting, Rose Apple in a 5 gal, seeds planted of the Rainforest Plum (thanks Oscar) and seeds of Cedar Bay Cherry on the way.  There are many many more I want to try and I would love to hear your recommendations, please.

Since April we’ve been selling produce, hand made soaps and bath products and homemade bread and baked goods at our local farmers markets.  I really want to collect and grow as many unusual fruits as I can to sell them at the markets.  Most people have never seen a Surinam Cherry, not to mention any of the other more rare species.  I’d like to focus on fruits that are good out of hand as opposed to ones that are mainly used for jams or drinks.

I’ve been putting a list together and looking for temperature limits.  The maximum low I’ve seen in 7 years hear has been about 27 F.  Surinam Cherry and White Sapote survive no problem and I have a couple cherimoya seedlings that have made it through the last couple of winters unprotected.

Here is my list so far.  I’m sure I can find temperature limits for a lot more I just haven’t had a chance to look yet. 

1. Which of these do you think I should try? 
2. Which species am I missing that you’d recommend? 
3. Do you know temperature limits for any of these species off the top of your head?

Thank you for all the help guys.

Eugenia   aggregata -cherry of Rio Grande   20 (-7)
Eugenia   stipitata - Arazá   22 (-6)
Eugenia   uniflora - Surinam Cherry   22 (-6)
Eugenia   brasiliensis - Grumichama   26 (-3)
Eugenia   dombeyi    - grumichama   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambolana - jambolan   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambos - Rose Apple   26 (-3)
Eugenia   reinwardtiana - Cedar Bay Cherry   26 (-3)
Eugenia   luschnathiana - Pitomba   27 (-3)
Eugenia   mattosii      27 (-3)
Eugenia   candolleana - rainforest plum   28 (-2)
Eugenia   neonitida - pitagatuba   30 (-1)
Eugenia   javanica - Wax Jambu   32 (0)
Eugenia   florida      27 (-3)
Eugenia   calycina      25 (-4)

Eugenia   aeruginea      
Eugenia   anastomosans      
Eugenia   axillaris      
Eugenia   biflora - murta   
Eugenia   compta      
Eugenia   crenata      
Eugenia   dulcis      
Eugenia   dysenterica - Cagaiteira   
Eugenia   inocarpa      
Eugenia   insipida      
Eugenia   involucrata - Cereja do rio grande   
Eugenia   itacolumensis      
Eugenia   klotzschiana - Pera do Campo   
Eugenia   latifolia      
Eugenia   ligustrina - Granadillo, Palo de muleta   
Eugenia   lutescens - Pitomba   
Eugenia   magdalensis - Pera de agua   
Eugenia   marowijnensis      
Eugenia   mato      
Eugenia   myrcianthes      
Eugenia   nhanica - Nanica, Nhanica   
Eugenia   nitida - Pitango   
Eugenia   obovata      
Eugenia   patrisii - sacha guayaba, ubaia, turtle berry   
Eugenia   pisiformis      
Eugenia   pitanga      
Eugenia   puncens - guabiyu; Po: guabiju.   
Eugenia   punicifolia      
Eugenia   pyriformis - uvalha   
Eugenia   selloi - pitanga tuba.   
Eugenia   stipitata - araza-boi, arazá   
Eugenia   sulcata      
Eugenia   supraaxillaris - Tatu, Redrodwood eugenia.   
Eugenia   tomentosa - Yellow Jobaticaba   
Eugenia   turbinata      
Eugenia   uvalha - Ubaia, Uvaia, Uvalha   
Eugenia   vauthiereana      

Here are some pictures of our booth at the market

[fyliu]

They have pitangatuba in San Diego. A year ago I talked to a former chair of the North county chapter and he had one waiting to fruit. I also shared some seedlings from Berto this summer with a few members.

[fruitlovers]

Sven, nice booth. What farmer's market is that?
About the eugenia cold tolerance, suggest looking up place of origin. Most of the ones that grow in southern Brazil will have some cold tolerance.

[Mike T]

I know with Cedar Bay Cherries cold tolerance relates to where they were sourced from.Tolerances of those from near the equator is very different from those originating outside the tropics.This is undoubtedly true for all the wide ranging species and a single number is unlikely to reflect the lower temp. tolerances of all in that species.

[Sven]

Sven, nice booth. What farmer's market is that?
About the eugenia cold tolerance, suggest looking up place of origin. Most of the ones that grow in southern Brazil will have some cold tolerance.

Thanks Oscar,

The first picture is at the Ocean Beach market (Wednesday) and the second one is at the Rancho San Diego market (Saturday).  We also do the Gaslamp on Sunday and Otay Ranch/East Lake on Tuesday.  We’re hoping to add a few more soon.  Thanks for the tip on place of origin.  I will look into it.  I don’t know much about the climate in Brazil so I will do some research there as well.

Sven
 

[Sven]

They have pitangatuba in San Diego. A year ago I talked to a former chair of the North county chapter and he had one waiting to fruit. I also shared some seedlings from Berto this summer with a few members.

Fyliu,

I’m a former North County Chapter Chairperson myself.  I will be looking locally for seeds and plants.  I’ve just started trying to narrow it down to ones that are more likely to survive where we are at, but maybe I shouldn’t bother with that and just try everything  .  That’s really what I want to do but I was trying to be practical.

I actually just got an e-mail from a forum member (thank you!) here in San Diego offering me seedlings of the following species:

E. candolleana
E. observa
E. subterminalis
E. neonitida
E. victoriana
E. luschtiana
E. brasilensis
E. uniflora

Which will give me a great start. 

Sven

[Sven]

I know with Cedar Bay Cherries cold tolerance relates to where they were sourced from.Tolerances of those from near the equator is very different from those originating outside the tropics.This is undoubtedly true for all the wide ranging species and a single number is unlikely to reflect the lower temp. tolerances of all in that species.

Thanks Mike,

I hadn’t really considered that, but it makes good sense.  I will definitely keep it in mind when I look for seeds.  It is starting to sound like considering where the plants have succeeded is more important than finding any actual temperature limits given.  Those limits are always pretty subjective anyway and there are way to many variables to consider.  Health of the plant, duration of the cold, water status…  I know, for instance, with dragon fruit you can have just a little damage at say 28 one year and then much more damage the next at the same temperature. 

Sven

[fruitlovers]

Sven, nice booth. What farmer's market is that?
About the eugenia cold tolerance, suggest looking up place of origin. Most of the ones that grow in southern Brazil will have some cold tolerance.

Thanks Oscar,

The first picture is at the Ocean Beach market (Wednesday) and the second one is at the Rancho San Diego market (Saturday).  We also do the Gaslamp on Sunday and Otay Ranch/East Lake on Tuesday.  We’re hoping to add a few more soon.  Thanks for the tip on place of origin.  I will look into it.  I don’t know much about the climate in Brazil so I will do some research there as well.

Sven

Brazil being in southern hemisphere is opposite of us, south is cold and north is warm. If you see plants that grow well in Santa Catarina, and Porto Alegre (southernmost) then they are more likely to do well for you.
Sounds like you do a lot of driving! BTW i used to work in Ocean Beach, at People's Food Store in their produce department.

[Sven]

Oscar,

For some reason I’m not surprised you worked at People’s.  You must be a surfer as well?  You might know a friend of my girlfriends named Amber?  She’s worked at people since the 70s. 

Sven

[fruitlovers]

Oscar,

For some reason I’m not surprised you worked at People’s.  You must be a surfer as well?  You might know a friend of my girlfriends named Amber?  She’s worked at people since the 70s. 

Sven

Not a surfer, but love swimming and snorkeling. I know an Amber that worked there but not sure if it's the same person.

[Sven]

You're in the right place then.  I used to dive a lot, even in Hawaii a few times.

[huertasurbanas]

Hi Sven, I will put my numbers and comments between [] below, next to the others

They are based on many documents I have read. As for my experience, in my urban garden temperatures do not fall below -3 º C, so all my (myrtaceae and citrus) trees except tree tomatoes have been fine. Guavas (psidium guajava) just loose all their leaves and had some branch damage but then sprout like crazy. No problems at all with: eugenia uniflora (pitanga), eugenia pyriformis (uvaia), myrcianthes pungens (guabiju), acca sellowiana (feijoa), campomanesia guazumifolia (sete capotes), psidium cattleianum (arazá rojo).

About my friends on the outskirts of the city that have guabiju, feijoa, I know they have survived at -6 ° C without damage; there, the psidium cattleianum lost all the leaves but rebounded strongly in spring, the others had no damage at all.

Thank you for all the help guys.

Eugenia   aggregata -cherry of Rio Grande   20 (-7)
Eugenia   stipitata - Arazá   22 (-6)
Eugenia   uniflora - Surinam Cherry   22 (-6) [-8 ]
Eugenia   brasiliensis - Grumichama   26 (-3) [maybe less]
Eugenia   dombeyi    - grumichama   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambolana - jambolan   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambos - Rose Apple   26 (-3)
Eugenia   reinwardtiana - Cedar Bay Cherry   26 (-3)
Eugenia   luschnathiana - Pitomba   27 (-3)
Eugenia   mattosii      27 (-3)
Eugenia   candolleana - rainforest plum   28 (-2) [maybe less]
Eugenia   neonitida - pitagatuba   30 (-1)
Eugenia   javanica - Wax Jambu   32 (0)
Eugenia   florida      27 (-3)
Eugenia   calycina      25 (-4)

Eugenia   aeruginea      
Eugenia   anastomosans      
Eugenia   axillaris      
Eugenia   biflora - murta   
Eugenia   compta      
Eugenia   crenata      
Eugenia   dulcis      
Eugenia   dysenterica - Cagaiteira   [should be -7º C]
Eugenia   inocarpa      
Eugenia   insipida      
Eugenia   involucrata - Cereja do rio grande    [should be -7º C]
Eugenia   itacolumensis      
Eugenia   klotzschiana - Pera do Campo   
Eugenia   latifolia      
Eugenia   ligustrina - Granadillo, Palo de muleta   
Eugenia   lutescens - Pitomba   
Eugenia   magdalensis - Pera de agua   
Eugenia   marowijnensis      
Eugenia   mato      [should be below -8º C]
Eugenia   myrcianthes [if this is Hexachlamys edulis, ubajay should be below -6º C]
Eugenia   nhanica - Nanica, Nhanica   
Eugenia   nitida - Pitango   
Eugenia   obovata      
Eugenia   patrisii - sacha guayaba, ubaia, turtle berry   
Eugenia   pisiformis      
Eugenia   pitanga      
Eugenia   pungens - guabiyu; Po: guabiju.    [myrcianthes pungens -11º C]
Eugenia   punicifolia      
Eugenia   pyriformis - uvalha   [should be below -5º C or less, in my garden at -3º C did not loosed any leaf]
Eugenia   selloi - pitanga tuba.   
Eugenia   stipitata - araza-boi, arazá   
Eugenia   sulcata      
Eugenia   supraaxillaris - Tatu, Redrodwood eugenia.   
Eugenia   tomentosa - Yellow Jobaticaba   
Eugenia   turbinata      
Eugenia   uvalha - Ubaia, Uvaia, Uvalha   
Eugenia   vauthiereana      

Here are some pictures of our booth at the market

Great venture! I would like to do something similar. Cheers!

[bangkok]

Hi Sven, I will put my numbers and comments between [] below, next to the others

They are based on many documents I have read. As for my experience, in my urban garden temperatures do not fall below -3 º C, so all my (myrtaceae and citrus) trees except tree tomatoes have been fine. Guavas (psidium guajava) just loose all their leaves and had some branch damage but then sprout like crazy.

About my friends on the outskirts of the city that have guabiju, feijoa, I know they have survived at -6 ° C without damage; there, the psidium cattleianum lost all the leaves but rebounded strongly in spring, the others had no damage at all.

Thank you for all the help guys.

Eugenia   aggregata -cherry of Rio Grande   20 (-7)
Eugenia   stipitata - Arazá   22 (-6)
Eugenia   uniflora - Surinam Cherry   22 (-6) [-8 ]
Eugenia   brasiliensis - Grumichama   26 (-3) [maybe less]
Eugenia   dombeyi    - grumichama   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambolana - jambolan   26 (-3)
Eugenia   jambos - Rose Apple   26 (-3)
Eugenia   reinwardtiana - Cedar Bay Cherry   26 (-3)
Eugenia   luschnathiana - Pitomba   27 (-3)
Eugenia   mattosii      27 (-3)
Eugenia   candolleana - rainforest plum   28 (-2) [maybe less]
Eugenia   neonitida - pitagatuba   30 (-1)
Eugenia   javanica - Wax Jambu   32 (0)
Eugenia   florida      27 (-3)
Eugenia   calycina      25 (-4)

Eugenia   aeruginea      
Eugenia   anastomosans      
Eugenia   axillaris      
Eugenia   biflora - murta   
Eugenia   compta      
Eugenia   crenata      
Eugenia   dulcis      
Eugenia   dysenterica - Cagaiteira   [should be -7º C]
Eugenia   inocarpa      
Eugenia   insipida      
Eugenia   involucrata - Cereja do rio grande    [should be -7º C]
Eugenia   itacolumensis      
Eugenia   klotzschiana - Pera do Campo   
Eugenia   latifolia      
Eugenia   ligustrina - Granadillo, Palo de muleta   
Eugenia   lutescens - Pitomba   
Eugenia   magdalensis - Pera de agua   
Eugenia   marowijnensis      
Eugenia   mato      [should be below -8º C]
Eugenia   myrcianthes [if this is Hexachlamys edulis, ubajay should be below -6º C]
Eugenia   nhanica - Nanica, Nhanica   
Eugenia   nitida - Pitango   
Eugenia   obovata      
Eugenia   patrisii - sacha guayaba, ubaia, turtle berry   
Eugenia   pisiformis      
Eugenia   pitanga      
Eugenia   pungens - guabiyu; Po: guabiju.    [myrcianthes pungens -11º C]
Eugenia   punicifolia      
Eugenia   pyriformis - uvalha   [less than -5º C]
Eugenia   selloi - pitanga tuba.   
Eugenia   stipitata - araza-boi, arazá   
Eugenia   sulcata      
Eugenia   supraaxillaris - Tatu, Redrodwood eugenia.   
Eugenia   tomentosa - Yellow Jobaticaba   
Eugenia   turbinata      
Eugenia   uvalha - Ubaia, Uvaia, Uvalha   [should be below -4º C or less, in my garden at -3º C did not loosed any leaf]
Eugenia   vauthiereana      

Here are some pictures of our booth at the market

Great venture! I would like to do something similar. Cheers!

That is great info! But is there also a maximum temperature or level of humidity to the eugenia's?

[huertasurbanas]

That is great info! But is there also a maximum temperature or level of humidity to the eugenia's?

Hi, I dont now, the worst temperature we have here is 39º C

But in the house of a familiar, in the center of the city with a lot of concrete, in the patio maybe she reches 45º C or so... some poted guabiju (4 years old) and psidium cattleianum (3 years old) leaves were burned at full sun, but they are still growing. No problems with feijoa (acca sellowiana). [these are not eugenias, but myrtaceae!]

[bangkok]

That is great info! But is there also a maximum temperature or level of humidity to the eugenia's?

Hi, I dont now, the worst temperature we have here is 39º C

But in the house of a familiar, in the center of the city with a lot of concrete, in the patio maybe she reches 45º C or so... some poted guabiju (4 years old) and psidium cattleianum (3 years old) leaves were burned at full sun, but they are still growing. No problems with feijoa (acca sellowiana). [these are not eugenias, but myrtaceae!]

Okay, thanks for the info. I have an eugenia involucrata that just sprputed so i guess i can grow it here in the garden. I will just try it. I also plan to grow a jaboticaba but i have to find it first.

[KarenRei]

That is great info! But is there also a maximum temperature or level of humidity to the eugenia's?

There are over a thousand eugenia species, and new ones are constantly being discovered, so you'll never get a full list. It also doesn't help that they keep moving other members of the tribe Myrteae in and out of Eugenia. I'm still curious whether my eugenia from Jim West in Ecuador described as " Eugenia sp. 'Gualha' " is some existing species he just doesn't know the scientific name of (most likely) or something unidentified. It'll be easier to narrow down once it fruits, if it makes it that far.

As for heat/humidity tolerance, none of my eugenia species (victoriana, aggregata, stipitata, reinwardtiana, neonitida, and the aforementioned "gualha") have ever seemed troubled by living in my grow tent, which can get quite hot and humid indeed and has burned several other species at times (jackfruit, cacao, annonas, etc). So I think they're in general quite hardy. My eugenias are all young, but I know that at least some have fruited well indoors for CoPlantNut (he sent me some reinwardtianas at one point to try - they're pretty much just like cherries).

[fruitlovers]

Most eugenias (and myrtaceaes) are widely adapted plants, meaning most will do very well in the tropics. The ones that tolerate a lot of cold are, i'm guessing, the only ones to be concerned about whether they will really flourish in ultra tropical places. My guess is that even they will grow fine. Maybe they just won't produce as much fruit as in sub tropics?
General rule is that it's much easier for sub tropical plants to adapt to tropics than it is for tropical plants to adapt to sub tropics.

[MangoFang]

Sven - I have been educated!  Thank You!

Now, I'm ultra curious to know who grows the Cherry of the Rio Grande
here in SoCal and anyone who has fruited and tasted it....is it really sweet?
What would you compare it to, taste-wise?

Gary

[fruitlovers]

Sven - I have been educated!  Thank You!

Now, I'm ultra curious to know who grows the Cherry of the Rio Grande
here in SoCal and anyone who has fruited and tasted it....is it really sweet?
What would you compare it to, taste-wise?

Gary

Very similar to grumichama in taste and also looks.

[marklee]

Sven - I have been educated!  Thank You!

Now, I'm ultra curious to know who grows the Cherry of the Rio Grande
here in SoCal and anyone who has fruited and tasted it....is it really sweet?
What would you compare it to, taste-wise?

Gary

Gary,
I get plenty of the Cherry of the Rio Grande every spring down here in San Diego, and I'm sure there are other growers. Ong usually has fruit at his nursery in spring and summer.