Author Topic: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation  (Read 3680 times)

petasplit

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Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« on: August 08, 2020, 03:57:24 AM »
Hi, I dont know if this question was previously answered somewhere in this forum but I will ask anyway. From your experience what is (are) tropical fruit trees that can handle zone 9a. Most of the time winter temps dont go below -5°C, but on occasion it can go lower (depending on how hard winter is that year). So if you know what will successfully grow in my area please write, especially if you are in this zone and have attempted growing some tropical fruits. Thanks.

giorgosgr.

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2020, 04:45:14 AM »
Many different citrus, you should be good even with oranges maybe just maybe grapefruit.
Also strawberry guavas,
Avocado, Maybe white sapote, passionfruit, cherry of the rio grande, surinam cherry, guabiju.
If you consider loquat and pomegranate tropical they should do just fine

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2020, 06:19:13 AM »
My favourite from the fruits you mentioned is strawberry guava although fruits are somewhat small (but ordinary guava cant be grown here outdoors I guess).

giorgosgr.

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2020, 06:37:15 AM »
you could try ordinary guava but i dont think it will make it. What i usually do is plant seeds from any trees that i am not sure if they can make it (seeds are cheap) and if they survive easily i go and buy a grafted good variety tree.

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2020, 07:14:07 AM »
Yes seeds are cheap, thats my only source of fruits because of the price. I could try that thanks for the tip

SeaWalnut

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2020, 05:10:13 PM »
Feijoa its related to guava and would grow well in your area.
Its also heavy feeder and fast growin.I have 2 meters tall bushes grown from seeds in just 2 years.
I have a tropical pink guava( grafted) thats suposedly the most cold hardy cultivar of the tropical ones but when it feels cold ,her leaves turn a deep red and fall.
Its not deciduous but behaves like deciduous for me.

Ugni Molinae or chilean guava its also cold hardy and the best tasting guava altough small.

johnb51

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2020, 05:41:16 PM »
I hope you're already growing persimmons and all the fruits that thrive in temperate climates.  Yes, I'd definitely try white sapote, loquat, pomegranate, avocado and various kinds of citrus.  Have you ever eaten white sapote?  It's a creamy, delicious fruit.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2020, 05:48:02 PM by johnb51 »
John

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2020, 06:08:22 PM »
SeaWalnut - you grow pink guava outdoors in ground or in pot?
johnb51 - no I have never eaten white sapote, but I have read it's fantastic, don't know its fruiting time but will search for seeds

SeaWalnut

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2020, 06:22:31 PM »
SeaWalnut - you grow pink guava outdoors in ground or in pot?
johnb51 - no I have never eaten white sapote, but I have read it's fantastic, don't know its fruiting time but will search for seeds
I grow the pink guava in a pot in heated greenhouse with double walls .
Its verry sensitive to cold.Would not withstand 0 degree C .
Feijoa however ,can withstand minus 17 C.
In the pot in the middle its the tropical pink guava.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2020, 06:30:41 PM by SeaWalnut »

quesofreshcoh

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2020, 07:19:01 PM »
Hi, I dont know if this question was previously answered somewhere in this forum but I will ask anyway. From your experience what is (are) tropical fruit trees that can handle zone 9a. Most of the time winter temps dont go below -5°C, but on occasion it can go lower (depending on how hard winter is that year). So if you know what will successfully grow in my area please write, especially if you are in this zone and have attempted growing some tropical fruits. Thanks.

You can probably try a Jaboticaba or Sapodilla, I have not grown a Jabo yet but from what I hear they do excellent here in 9b, and can tolerate a little more. You will have to protect them most likely on those very cold nights. My Hasya sapodilla has proven to be excellent for cold tolerance, we had nights of 25F and it didn't seem affected at all. Maybe I am just lucky with cold tolerance, but it hasn't produced anything and I am probably gonna put something else in its place. I would probably go with Alano because a lot of other people have stated that Hasya just doesn't produce well sometimes. It can be hit or miss. Good luck though!
-Gabe

johnb51

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2020, 07:26:21 PM »
Cool.  I love jaboticaba and sapodilla!
John

giorgosgr.

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2020, 11:27:43 PM »
SeaWalnut - you grow pink guava outdoors in ground or in pot?
johnb51 - no I have never eaten white sapote, but I have read it's fantastic, don't know its fruiting time but will search for seeds

You should be able to find seeds the next month. Maybe even now

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2020, 05:31:49 AM »
Guys thanks for your help I really appreciate it, out of these mentioned fruits I will definitely search for strawberry guava and white sapote seeds. I will research a little more about sapodilla as well. As for pink guava it really looks great in your greenhouse but unfortunately greenhouse is not an option, at least for me.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2020, 06:30:49 AM »
There are 2 types of strawberry guava ( P cattleyanum).
One makes yellow guava called lemon guava and the otther makes violet guavas called strawberry guava.
I have both of these with fruit now and the yellow one fruits more prolically.
Not sure if they can be breed by cuttings but i trimmed them just a week ago.

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #14 on: August 09, 2020, 06:44:40 AM »
Don't know either, but I think I saw somewhere on eBay guy selling scions but it was long time ago. It will have to wait a week or two anyway because I cant order online anything right now - some hacker got my credit card info (dont know how) and I must wait till my bank issues me a new card for online ordering.

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #15 on: August 09, 2020, 07:22:51 AM »
I have also read about cold hardy avocados like Fantastic, that might grow in my zone outdoors. Any thoughts?

giorgosgr.

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #16 on: August 09, 2020, 07:39:23 AM »
I have also read about cold hardy avocados like Fantastic, that might grow in my zone outdoors. Any thoughts?

If you can find any cold hardy avocado variety in Europe tell me, its quite hard. But in my experience varieties such as fuerte can be quite hardy

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #17 on: August 09, 2020, 08:00:17 AM »
If I find anything I will let you know.

CarolinaZone

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #18 on: August 09, 2020, 12:21:33 PM »
There are 2 types of strawberry guava ( P cattleyanum).
One makes yellow guava called lemon guava and the otther makes violet guavas called strawberry guava.
I have both of these with fruit now and the yellow one fruits more prolically.
Not sure if they can be breed by cuttings but i trimmed them just a week ago.
You mean red right?

Triphal

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #19 on: August 09, 2020, 01:39:10 PM »
You are in a subtropical zone. Try Mysore raspberry, Tamarillo (Tree tomato), Zizyphus jujube Chinese variety, Persian lime, Orange, Mandarine, Tanjarine, Kumquat and Loquat etc. But planting on the South side of your house brick wall will be ideal. Please note that I have NO experience in this but just suggesting some ideas. Good luck.

Triphal

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #20 on: August 09, 2020, 01:41:29 PM »
Please add Persimmon to that list.

petasplit

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #21 on: August 10, 2020, 03:04:02 AM »
Triphal - thanks for your suggestions and yes persimmons are mentioned  for growing in my zone.
CarolinaZone - yes he meant red strawberry guavas

nexxogen

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #22 on: August 11, 2020, 02:28:52 AM »
You can probably try a Jaboticaba or Sapodilla, I have not grown a Jabo yet but from what I hear they do excellent here in 9b, and can tolerate a little more. You will have to protect them most likely on those very cold nights. My Hasya sapodilla has proven to be excellent for cold tolerance, we had nights of 25F and it didn't seem affected at all. Maybe I am just lucky with cold tolerance, but it hasn't produced anything and I am probably gonna put something else in its place. I would probably go with Alano because a lot of other people have stated that Hasya just doesn't produce well sometimes. It can be hit or miss. Good luck though!

The problem is, zone 9b in Florida is very different than zone 9b in Europe. In Florida, you've got cold fronts that don't last very long and then you're back to +16C or much higher. In my zone 9b, we can have many consecutive days with temperatures close to freezing or slightly below, with daytime temperatures not exceeding 6 or 7C. Also, winters are wet in our Mediterranean climate so we have the problem of cold wet roots. Also, in my area, the north wind is a big problem.

All of my passion fruit vines completely die during winter. Avocados grown from store bought fruit also die to the ground and so do cherimoyas.

But I'm still experimenting. I've planted white sapote, Surinam cherry and strawberry guava this spring and I intend to try to get them through the first few winters by protecting them and then we'll see what happens after that. I will also try Mexican avocados when my seedlings grow big enough for planting.

Btw, all of the things listed survive with no issues on my large covered balcony in town, but planting them out in the open is a completely different story.

In our area, there's plenty of citrus, figs, pomegranates, loquats, persimmons and jujubes. They really thrive here so for us, other things are more interesting.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2020, 02:31:25 AM by nexxogen »

giorgosgr.

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #23 on: August 11, 2020, 03:39:46 AM »
You can probably try a Jaboticaba or Sapodilla, I have not grown a Jabo yet but from what I hear they do excellent here in 9b, and can tolerate a little more. You will have to protect them most likely on those very cold nights. My Hasya sapodilla has proven to be excellent for cold tolerance, we had nights of 25F and it didn't seem affected at all. Maybe I am just lucky with cold tolerance, but it hasn't produced anything and I am probably gonna put something else in its place. I would probably go with Alano because a lot of other people have stated that Hasya just doesn't produce well sometimes. It can be hit or miss. Good luck though!

The problem is, zone 9b in Florida is very different than zone 9b in Europe. In Florida, you've got cold fronts that don't last very long and then you're back to +16C or much higher. In my zone 9b, we can have many consecutive days with temperatures close to freezing or slightly below, with daytime temperatures not exceeding 6 or 7C. Also, winters are wet in our Mediterranean climate so we have the problem of cold wet roots. Also, in my area, the north wind is a big problem.

All of my passion fruit vines completely die during winter. Avocados grown from store bought fruit also die to the ground and so do cherimoyas.

But I'm still experimenting. I've planted white sapote, Surinam cherry and strawberry guava this spring and I intend to try to get them through the first few winters by protecting them and then we'll see what happens after that. I will also try Mexican avocados when my seedlings grow big enough for planting.

Btw, all of the things listed survive with no issues on my large covered balcony in town, but planting them out in the open is a completely different story.

In our area, there's plenty of citrus, figs, pomegranates, loquats, persimmons and jujubes. They really thrive here so for us, other things are more interesting.

That is really interesting, i am in the same zone, near Athens Greece and i get every year for maybe 4-5 days snowfall and all my passionfruits, even the more exposed ones do not even defoliate. Also my store bought avocado seedlings only one month all didnt even notice the winter. So i am guessing cold wet roots make a huge difference.
I hope you do not have such cold wet conditions during winter

nexxogen

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Re: Zone 9A tropical fruit recommendation
« Reply #24 on: August 11, 2020, 04:25:21 AM »
We definitely don't get that much snowfall. In fact, of there's any snow during winter, that's considered an unusual event. The mountains around are covered with snow though and ground frost is very common all winter and can extend into early April. But it's really strange to me that you get so much snowfall so far down south. How low do your nighttime temperatures get during winter?