Hello everyone.
Which tropicals can/are being grown in the zone 10 part of Europe?
I know that we can sometimes buy Keith mangos from Spain.
And it seems that this nursery in Malaga, spain, is selling guanabana, jaboticaba, sapodilla, Rollinia and lots of other tropicals: http://frutalestropicales.com/product.php?id_product=28
But do they have to be covered in winter? Or even grown in greenhouses?
I am very curious to know.
At my place, located in southern Portugal, also zone 10, I have fruiting outside,
without any protection, the following:
Black sapote, Marula, Acerola, Canistel, Lychee, Longan, Guavas, Coffee, Avocado, Mango, White Sapote.
I also have a unheated greenhouse (covered with fine netting) where more stuff can grow:
Rollinia mucosa (fruiting), Carambola (fruiting); mamey, green sapote, achachairu, mexican garcinia (blooming), genipap, mamoncillo (blooming), caimito (blooming) and a few others.
Zone 10 should be only an indication. The duration of the cold (freezing or not) also determines what
does well, barely survives or just plain dies.
Zone 10 climate in Europe are dry subtropical climates that combine the cold season with the rainy season.
Many tropical plants dislike this combination, contrary to the natural cycle they expect (warm + wet). They may be able to take some cold, even a little freezing, but enduring 3 months of cold wet soil if often too much, even without experiencing any frost. One such example is Baobab. They just rot rather than freeze.
A covered greenhouse (unheated) often helps a lot because the soil can stay warm and dry over winter,
more closely mimicking the tropics.