Problem with 'Sabará' – need advice!

[Epicatt2]

A sabará was received in late summer of 2020 in a three gallon pot and was about two feet tall and a foot and a half in diameter.  Seemed perfectly healthy and grew new leaves so no concerns with it.

Suddenly early in March all its leaves dried up and turned a light brown but did not fall from the plant which always seems a bad sign.  Only a few very tiny green leaves remained at the tips of some of the branches.

Then I began to water it more and in about two weeks all the dead leaves began to drop and new leaves started to grow.  Now the sabará is all lush and green again.

So..... 

Is this typical of sabará during winter time?

Should it by now –closing on a year after its receipt– be moved up into a five gallon pot?

I want to put it into the ground but don't know how large these get in zone 9b in Florida, especially in my sandy soil.

Suggestions, please & advice . . . .

Paul M.
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[sumognat]

From what I understand, jabos like a lot of water, especially the red and sabara varieties.  How much are you watering the tree?  I have seen some people keep trays under the pots to help keep the plants moist between waterings.  It sounds like your tree isn't getting enough water.  I know some people have also repotted a languishing jabo by up-potting and replenishing the potting soil, seeing a new flush shortly thereafter.  I have also read jabos like to be pot bound.

I have a red jabo planted from a 3 gal a couple of years ago in muck in an area that never dries out and is frequently under water in the summer and it is thriving.  I also have a grimal that I planted, in winter that is about 4 feet tall, in a drier area.  The grimal doesn't really get watered often, but the area it is in is also a bit mucky and stays wet for awhile.  The Grimal seems to be doing ok, but is not doing much because it has been very dry with very little rain these past few months.  I expect it will flush out when the rains start.

These Jabos grow slow, so I'm not sure I'd worry about size since you can always trim them back.  I would recommend using organic matter, mulch, and compost, if you decide to plant it out to keep the moisture in the ground and keep the plant from drying out quickly.  I have heard planting the trees out can delay fruiting, since the tree will devote energy to building roots.  Not sure if that matters to you, but it also sound like your tree is years out from fruiting.

[TSmith]

I agree they are fine in zone 9b. They love lots of water and that is key to keeping them happy. Some people amend the soil some, but I have seen them planted in native soil and thriving in Tampa and Orlando.

Most of these probably won't be more than 15 feet in a long time! So totally fine to plant out.

[Epicatt2]

Thanx for the very helpful replies.  Much appreciated.

Sounds like in addition to plenty of moisture provided –especially in a sandy soil situation, that mulching the area over the root run would be advisable to help keep the soil moist.  And also irrigating the plant when it is hot a dry before our rainy season kicks in....

I also get the sense that the mulch probably should be kept clear of the sabará's trunk at the base.  Does this sound about right?

Cheers!

Paul M.
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[achetadomestica]

All of my jabos in pots and the ones in the ground flushed after Winter.
I planted out my restinga last Fall and it looked like crap this Winter and I was beginning
to wonder if I should re pot it? Then the Spring flush came and I even got flowers
for the first time. My jabos have never looked better especially the ones in the ground.
I planted them out from 25 gallon pots and the soil was an acidic peat mix with perlite.
Now I have a ring of mulch around the trees and I add epsoma holly tone once a month and a handful
of sulphur pellets and I water 3 times a week with a sprinkler and I try to hand water deep
once a week.