Most exotic for 8B?

[shaneatwell]

Looking for some interesting and preferably drought tolerant fruit/nut trees for 8B (-10C). 10yr min is around 8F (-13C).

I know there's plenty of apples/pears/stone fruit and even citrus. How about more exotic? Che, Yangmei, other chinese temperates? Anything from Africa?

And what would be good candidates for attempting some selection?

Going to give a shot at different oaks, chestnut, mulberry, che, yangmei, and kei apple. Probably opuntia. Pindo palm.

Any others?

[Solko]

Pawpaw?
Chestnut should do, walnut as well, peaches can be interesting, it depends a bit on how wet your winter is, and how much heat you get in summer. Some figs might be able to survive and fruit well. They are also pretty drought resistant. Some selections of Arbutus might make it... You could even try Feijoa.... but you would have to find the most cold hardy strain and she doesn't like snow... Opuntia could survive if your winters are dry. Some selections of pomegranate might make it as well.

Good luck, it is in my experience always good to try new stuff

Solko

[googer]

Pawpaw should grow in San Diego - just don't expect any fruit. Pawpaw needs at least 400 hours of chilling temperatures during the winter for flowers to develop in spring. I agree with Solko and think chestnut, fig, and pomegranate should do fine at your location.

A good alternative to pawpaw in your location is Cherimoya (Annona cherimola). I am aware of several successful attempts to grow the fruit in southern California. I would also look into passionfruit (Passiflora spp.),  raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis), black sapote (Diospyros digyna), and kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) to name a few.

[fyliu]

Shane, you're in 8b?

Pawpaw is fine. There are cultivars that will fruit in Santa Monica, which is zone 10. I got scions from that person last year with flower buds on them and they continued to develop after grafting. Unfortunately the electric company people came by and compacted the dirt for me, breaking and burying the whole thing. Pawpaw looks like dry dead branches in the winter.

[shaneatwell]

THanks for suggestions. I'm not in 8B, but have access to a undeveloped property that is.

Paw paw is a good idea, might be too dry though. I tried a few seedlings at the beginning of last year and one might have made it through the summer. Jujube I should have mentioned. Likes the climate, but some critter keeps clearing off the leaves. Fig and pomegranate both good ideas.

Regarding passionfruit, any suggested varieties?

Raisin tree I really want. Need to find a source. Kiwi good idea, but i wonder how it'll fair the animals. Grapes are notoriously hard to do in woodland/wild settings.

Walnut and chestnut I want too. My california walnut is doing fine, my english baked to death. Chestnuts both suffered from the heat and were chewed to bits. Will try again with some deer protection.

I do want to try both arbutus and feijoa. Not too impressive a fruit on the arbutus, but should be ideal in every other regard. Maybe an orchard for distilling madrono?

[googer]

Regarding passionfruit, any suggested varieties?

In southern California, you will be able to grow many different varieties and species of Passiflora. A member on this site, barath, has experience in growing many species of Passiflora in California. He would be a good person to contact to get advice on which varieties grow well in your area.

Shane, you're in 8b?

Pawpaw is fine. There are cultivars that will fruit in Santa Monica, which is zone 10. I got scions from that person last year with flower buds on them and they continued to develop after grafting.

Do you happen to know the names of  any of these cultivars?

[shaneatwell]

P. incarnata is the one.

Also, see goji mentioned in other forums.

[Triloba Tracker]

P. incarnata is the one.

Also, see goji mentioned in other forums.

You can probably grow more than P. incarnata (Maypop) but you certainly shouldn't have any trouble with that one.

[bsbullie]

Mulberry

[Pancrazio]

Jujube, loquats, azerole, medlar, quince, persimmons may do well at your place with a careful varietal/rootstock selection. Mulberry also is a good idea. Actinidia arguta also is pretty exotic, but i don't think it can be defined as drough tolerant by any standard.

[fyliu]

Shane, you're in 8b?

Pawpaw is fine. There are cultivars that will fruit in Santa Monica, which is zone 10. I got scions from that person last year with flower buds on them and they continued to develop after grafting.

Do you happen to know the names of  any of these cultivars?

The one that fruits there that I grafted is called 'banana'. I think she has several but I don't know which other ones. The grafted one I got from Roger Meyer was I think 'sunflower'. He grew them in north San Diego. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

[Fabio]

You can try with Guabiyu (Myrchantens Pungens), Feijoa (Acca Sellowiana), Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Psidium Cattleianum but in sunny position and maybe with some protection in winter, Casimiroa pringlei, Eugenia Uniflora sunny position + protection, Eugenia involucrata sunny position + protection,  Ubajay (Hexaclamis Edulis), Nashi,