Author Topic: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.  (Read 9565 times)

Rannman

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Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« on: May 13, 2015, 07:51:49 AM »
This topic has drawn my interest for a while now and info on fruiting epis seems to be difficult to find. In this thread I'm looking for good/great fruit from named epis from growers who have a solid reputation. Not maybes or I think!! A lot of epis have excellent fruit with great hybrid potential.
This is one I've crossed already. Epi has the texture of Turkish Delight and similar flavour.  Variety is Argus, sourced from Matts Landscape.  Not huge but very nice.




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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2015, 12:01:36 PM »
Rannman,

Thanks for the post.  I agree that there needs to be some sort of repository for Epis and their fruit.  I am always looking for plants that produce quality fruit, but by and large, the people who grow and breed these plants have no interest in the fruit.  When I ask about the fruits, the most common response I get is "they are edible?" I think I need to pay a visit to Matt's Landscape.

I was able to get a half dozen plants from an old time CRFG member that he originally obtained from other CRFG members, so I am hoping that these are good fruiting types.  Most of them are holding immature fruit right now, so when they ripen I will post about them on this thread.

Cheers,
Richard

ricshaw

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2015, 01:22:38 PM »
I know that you do not want maybes or I think...  but this thread could be a great start for information on fruiting epiphyllums.

A friend of a friend told me...   ::)

Actually, I have a Dragon Fruit hobbyist grower friend who is interested in fruiting epiphyllums.

He attended the last meeting of the Epiphyllum Society of America and said; I talked to one man who was a tropical fruit grower when he lived in Florida and he grows epi's for the fruit. There was one epi he mentioned that he said made a fruit about the size of a Concord grape that tasted spectacular called Fern La Borde.

I put Fern La Borde on my epi wish list.

nullzero

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2015, 02:01:10 PM »
I asked a question to one of Mattslandscaping staff about good fruiting Epis. They said they loved to eat the good tasting Epi fruits and that 'Daybreak' was a large fruit of good quality. Best to visit someone's epi collection during ripe fruiting season.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2015, 02:22:04 PM by nullzero »
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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2015, 02:17:45 PM »
I got one called "Tabasco" sent as a free gift with my dragonfruit cuttings.  I have no idea if it produces fruit though
~Jeff

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ricshaw

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2015, 06:52:36 PM »
I asked a question to one of Mattslandscaping staff about good fruiting Epis. They said they loved to eat the good tasting Epi fruits and that 'Daybreak' was a large fruit of good quality. Best to visit someone's epi collection during ripe fruiting season.

Thanks!  I added "Day Break" to my epi wish list. 

The problem with epi growers is they grow them for the flowers.  Only a few are interested in producing hybrids. Most growers do not bother to let their epis produce fruit.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2015, 07:03:10 PM by ricshaw »

starling1

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2015, 08:42:09 PM »

I have 6  unique large fruited epis now, and I'm going to call it a day at that. These will be my base stock for creating hybrids.

ricshaw

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2015, 07:10:05 PM »
This is one I've crossed already. Epi has the texture of Turkish Delight and similar flavour.  Variety is Argus, sourced from Matts Landscape.  Not huge but very nice.





Today, at a epiphyllum pre-show plant sale, I picked up a couple of cuttings of ‘Argus’.

Rannman

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2015, 06:37:20 AM »
This is really just to bump the thread up again.  Anyone out there(US) had a successful summer with their Epi's? Any quality fruit to report?

ricshaw

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Re: Fruiting 's.
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2015, 12:22:17 PM »
This is really just to bump the thread up again.  Anyone out there(US) had a successful summer with their Epi's? Any quality fruit to report?

Same problem I had with my Dragon Fruit...  plants flowered at different times (weeks apart). Could not do the cross pollination needed.

You need a lot of Epiphyllum plants (or luck) so that you will have different flowers at the same time.

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2015, 01:34:40 PM »
One thing I'm finding about Epi's is that they are quite slow to ripen (relative to dragon fruit)  Mine bloomed inApril/May and the fruits are just starting to ripen.

Anyway, here is a tasty one that I have, the name is "Padre."  the fruit is about 4" and around 100g, so good size for an Epi fruit.  It is not super sweet, although I might have picked them early and I have two still hanging on the plant to see if they get sweeter, but they are very flavorful.  My daughter said it tastes just like a pineapple, and I put it as more of a kiwi/pineapple/cinnamon taste.  if it was a bit sweeter it would be an exceptional fruit in my opinion due to the intensity of flavor.  I will definitely try to use this plant's pollen to cross with my DF next year.

Cheers,
Richard








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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2015, 01:36:40 PM »
beautiful fruit, congrats Richard
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nullzero

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2015, 01:49:25 PM »
Richard,

Very nice looking fruit, and seems like it would have great offspring potential with a DF.
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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2015, 12:36:25 PM »
I asked a question to one of Mattslandscaping staff about good fruiting Epis. They said they loved to eat the good tasting Epi fruits and that 'Daybreak' was a large fruit of good quality. Best to visit someone's epi collection during ripe fruiting season.

Thanks!  I added "Day Break" to my epi wish list. 

The problem with epi growers is they grow them for the flowers.  Only a few are interested in producing hybrids. Most growers do not bother to let their epis produce fruit.

What other selections do you have on your list?  Also, do you grow epis on a post like DF?
Thanks!
~Jeff

"Say you just can't live that negative way, if you know what I mean. Make way for the positive day." - Positive Vibration

starch

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2015, 12:45:19 PM »
Man, I just got a dragon fruit order in from Matts Landscape / epicacti.com! I should have found this thread first, I should have ordered a Daybreak epi at the same time!

I had a great experience with Epicacti Nursery. I tried to order on Mattslandscape.com but that site won't let you make an order. So I gave them a call. Matt was super nice and helpful and made some great suggestions for my order based on heat tolerance down here. And Sandy did an awesome job packaging up my order. I would definitely order from them again (and based on this thread, it sounds like I will :) )!
- Mark

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2015, 12:47:27 PM »
Anyway, here is a tasty one that I have, the name is "Padre."  the fruit is about 4" and around 100g, so good size for an Epi fruit.  It is not super sweet, although I might have picked them early and I have two still hanging on the plant to see if they get sweeter, but they are very flavorful.  My daughter said it tastes just like a pineapple, and I put it as more of a kiwi/pineapple/cinnamon taste.  if it was a bit sweeter it would be an exceptional fruit in my opinion due to the intensity of flavor.  I will definitely try to use this plant's pollen to cross with my DF next year.

That is a beauty!
- Mark

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2015, 01:14:05 PM »
What other selections do you have on your list?  Also, do you grow epis on a post like DF?
Thanks!

I am fairly new to epiphyllums. What got me started was some Dragon Fruit growers have used epiphyllum flower pollen to pollinate Dragon Fruit flowers. Epiphyllums are usually grown in hanging pots and take up much less space than Dragon Fruit.
The problem I found out is epiphyllums tend to flower in the Spring before Dragon Fruit.  :-[

After attending two epiphyllum shows, I have gotten interested in growing epis. My epi wish list has about dozen varieties (species), most which are not known for fruit.
Some notes from my "wish list":
Epiphyllum hybrid 'Fern La Borde’ (extra small flower, good tasting fruit)
Epiphyllum hybrid 'Day Break' (Mattslandscaping staff; large fruit of good quality)
Epiphyllum ‘Padre’ fruit tasted like kiwi/pineapple/cinnamon
Selenicereus Validus (chocolate scent flower)

I recently acquired cuttings Selenicereus anthonyanus hybrid ‘The Lost Dutchman’ from an epiphyllum hybridizer Donald Burnett http://www.mattslandscape.com/don_burnett/.
Don has become interested in growing Dragon Fruit.  ;D

Don collecting pollen from Dragon Fruit flower.


The Lost Dutchman




Picture of an epiphyllum I have hanging under a maple tree.



« Last Edit: October 20, 2015, 01:40:10 PM by ricshaw »

starch

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2015, 02:00:34 PM »
I have been making a running list of Epi's, Opuntia's and cacti that fruit. I have no experience with them first hand. But maybe those that do can add their thoughts?

Cereus Peruvianus
Cereus Validus
Cereus Jamacaru
Stenocereus thurberi
Stenocereus queretaroensis
Stenocereus stellatus
Burbank's Opuntia
Haageocereus pseudoversicolor
Corryocactus melanotrichus
Trichocereus validus
Some mammillaria fruits also taste like strawberries. (prolifera, mystax, perbella)
Opuntia ficus-indica
myrtillocactus geometrizans
Opuntia robusta
Epiphyllum / Orchid cactus - several species
Cereus hankeanus F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum. - Cactaceae
Epiphyllum hybrid 'Fern La Borde’ (extra small flower, good tasting fruit)
Epiphyllum hybrid 'Day Break' (Mattslandscaping staff; large fruit of good quality)
Epiphyllum ‘Padre’ fruit tasted like kiwi/pineapple/cinnamon
- Mark

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2015, 03:06:21 PM »
Mike

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #19 on: October 22, 2015, 07:22:49 PM »
This topic has drawn my interest for a while now and info on fruiting epis seems to be difficult to find. In this thread I'm looking for good/great fruit from named epis from growers who have a solid reputation. Not maybes or I think!! A lot of epis have excellent fruit with great hybrid potential.
This is one I've crossed already. Epi has the texture of Turkish Delight and similar flavour.  Variety is Argus, sourced from Matts Landscape.  Not huge but very nice.






Just picked another fruit from my Argus Epi. Fruit was bigger than last time possibly due to a more mature plant. Good texture and stronger flavours than I remember. Highly perfumed with hit of lychee at first with a definite passion fruit aftertaste. Very nice piece of fruit.  Crossed with Cereus Peruvianus. Hopefully the seeds are good.

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #20 on: January 09, 2016, 04:42:58 AM »
This is my next Epi fruit, from variety PACESETTER. Hard to say what it tastes like but was certainly edible. A little sour with a Brix of 13.5.  Good size with a few spines. Not as tasty as Argus(purple flesh) but ok.







ricshaw

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #21 on: April 06, 2016, 04:27:22 PM »
A CRFG member friend was at an Epiphyllum Society of America meeting and sent me some pictures of a display.









I have no information on how the fruit pictured taste.

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2016, 05:02:41 PM »
Cool! Thanks for sharing!
- Mark

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2016, 06:24:05 PM »
Very cool! Thanks for posting this.

Did your friend happen to get the name of the person that put this poster together?

Richard

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Re: Fruiting Epiphyllum's.
« Reply #24 on: April 06, 2016, 10:03:48 PM »
Very cool! Thanks for posting this.

Did your friend happen to get the name of the person that put this poster together?

Richard

No, we do not know the name of the person who photographed the fruit and made the poster.