My very first Rollinia!

[AnnonAddict]

Hi Friends,

This is my first ever Rollinia, unfortunately not from Norman Beard's tree but that fruit will be ripe soon. It is still not ripe but is beginning it's path from green to yellow. After hearing all the praise for it's flavor I am counting the days until it ripens... lemon meringue pie, huh? I am guessing this is considered "large" for a Rollinia, it is about four times the size of a small Cherimoya.

The fruit itself.

Next to a medium sized Cherimoya for scale.


I moved my Rollinia tree into a greenhouse and it seems to have much positive effect, more of the buds are swelling with new growth and I see some flowers on two of the branches. I also tried my first Jaboticaba's today... I was wondering what it tasted like and it tasted very similar to something I had had recently... I realized it was Cranberry lemonade. It tasted just like it, but with a slimy texture and seeds.

Thanks all,

[FloridaGreenMan]

You need to let them turn yellow and ripen on the tree. If you pick them immature (green), they will not ripen well or be very sweet. I have picked lots of Rollinias from my tree over the years and green ones never tasted good. 

[FlyingFoxFruits]

ya..I always pick them when they're almost fully yellow, but with a slight amount of green still.

they taste best if you eat them a bit early...but never pick them when they are fully green!

[AnnonAddict]

Thanks for the advice, if it doesn't taste the best I will know why .

Thanks,

[omarudy]

Yeah Jack, why did you pick it so early?

[AnnonAddict]

Yeah Jack, why did you pick it so early?

Yeah... I wonder why I did that... 

[fruitlovers]

ya..I always pick them when they're almost fully yellow, but with a slight amount of green still.

they taste best if you eat them a bit early...but never pick them when they are fully green!

No need to let them get fully yellow, unless you want to. Just a little bit of yellow and they will continue to ripen indoors just fine (similar to papayas). Noel is right, don't think that totally green one like that will ripen properly. About size, rollinias come in all sizes, but largest of rollinias is usually larger than largest of cherimoyas, which also can vary a lot in size. So far largest rollinia on my tree was close to 7 pounds, but they can get up to 8+ pounds.

[TropicalFruitHunters]

Excitement over a first, new fruit many times seem to outweigh better judgement.  It's hard to wait!  You wouldn't be the first one to do this...and you won't be the last.  Hopefully you have a few other fruit coming on to let go full term.  Congrats though!  How about a couple of pics of the tree itself?

[fruitlovers]

Jack, if it's not from Norman's tree then where is it from? How many fruiting rollinia trees are there in Sta. Barbara? If it's any consolation the seeds inside that green rollinia are probably viable, so you can plant a bunch and get a bunch more trees going.