Author Topic: Malay Apple - Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?  (Read 2738 times)

Honest Abe

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Malay Apple - Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« on: December 14, 2020, 08:52:16 PM »
I had some great Jamaican gentlemen on my boat today. They told me of this fruit that’s prolific on their mountain property in Jamaica. They enjoy it very much. Will it grow at sea level in the south Florida climate? Anyone try it? If so, please share growing info.

Thank you

-Abe
« Last Edit: December 16, 2020, 10:48:20 AM by murahilin »

Johnny Redland

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2020, 09:02:49 PM »
Yes, grows well and fast. Fruit is mediocre, but plentiful and pretty. Flowers are gorgeous

murahilin

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2020, 10:57:23 AM »
Yes, grows well and fast. Fruit is mediocre, but plentiful and pretty. Flowers are gorgeous

I might have to ban you from the forum for speaking ill of one of the greatest fruit in existence.

I would rather a malay apple any day over the majority of fruit.

The tree grows very well in South Florida but there is a beetle that destroys most of the fruit before harvest. My tree is currently flowering for the third time or so this year but I don't expect to get any fruit.

If you're looking to buy the tree in Florida, look for Malay apple (Syzygium malaccense).

Johnny Redland

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2020, 11:39:34 AM »

I might have to ban you from the forum for speaking ill of one of the greatest fruit in existence.

I would rather a malay apple any day over the majority of fruit.


In response to being called out, I will admit my daughter loves them. She was eating 3 per sitting of larger ones at the age of 2. But what do those darn kids know anyway  ::)

Jani

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2020, 11:41:10 AM »
Yup growing one as well (from seed), pretty small though. As said above they grow easily here in S. Fl, and I have had some excellent  locally grown fruit... of course not as good as those grown in Jamaica.
always longing for a JA Julie

skhan

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2020, 12:24:11 PM »
One word of warning about Malay apple, it seems like the common nursery stock in Florida (at least from PIN) is not that great.
I had 3 planted so far, one fruit after 8 years (only year to fruit) it been there for like 15 years at this point
I also have one planted at my current house since 2014 and no flowers yet.

Seems like everyone I know who bring seeds from "back home" has much better success with the quality fruit and precocity

murahilin

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2020, 02:23:17 PM »
One word of warning about Malay apple, it seems like the common nursery stock in Florida (at least from PIN) is not that great.
I had 3 planted so far, one fruit after 8 years (only year to fruit) it been there for like 15 years at this point
I also have one planted at my current house since 2014 and no flowers yet.

Seems like everyone I know who bring seeds from "back home" has much better success with the quality fruit and precocity

Excalibur has two different grafted varieties. A white fruiting type and one that one that gets very dark that is named "Black". I've had the fruit from the Black one a few times and it was pretty good. If I remember correctly, the Black was from a fruit Richard Wilson found in a market in Central America.


In response to being called out, I will admit my daughter loves them. She was eating 3 per sitting of larger ones at the age of 2. But what do those darn kids know anyway  ::)

She has great taste in fruit. I was unsuccessful in trying to convince my kids to try Malay apple fruit this year.

Do you have a tree or did someone give you the fruit?

Honest Abe

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2020, 09:01:51 PM »
One word of warning about Malay apple, it seems like the common nursery stock in Florida (at least from PIN) is not that great.
I had 3 planted so far, one fruit after 8 years (only year to fruit) it been there for like 15 years at this point
I also have one planted at my current house since 2014 and no flowers yet.

Seems like everyone I know who bring seeds from "back home" has much better success with the quality fruit and precocity


Thanks for all the great responses,
Now:
Which cultivar should I plant? Partial Shade? Full sun? Irrigation? THANK YOU
Excalibur has two different grafted varieties. A white fruiting type and one that one that gets very dark that is named "Black". I've had the fruit from the Black one a few times and it was pretty good. If I remember correctly, the Black was from a fruit Richard Wilson found in a market in Central America.


In response to being called out, I will admit my daughter loves them. She was eating 3 per sitting of larger ones at the age of 2. But what do those darn kids know anyway  ::)

She has great taste in fruit. I was unsuccessful in trying to convince my kids to try Malay apple fruit this year.

Do you have a tree or did someone give you the fruit?

Jani

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2020, 07:44:46 AM »
One word of warning about Malay apple, it seems like the common nursery stock in Florida (at least from PIN) is not that great.
I had 3 planted so far, one fruit after 8 years (only year to fruit) it been there for like 15 years at this point
I also have one planted at my current house since 2014 and no flowers yet.

Seems like everyone I know who bring seeds from "back home" has much better success with the quality fruit and precocity

Yup I second this, my tree is a seedling of a tree grown from seed brought from Jamaica. Pretty much everyone I know who has trees that do well (growth and fruiting) were grown from seeds directly obtained from Jamaica, Trinidad or other Caribbean islands, or seedlings from these trees. That's anecdotal though and just my experience, I'm sure there are great successes with grafted varieties or seeds sourced from other regions.
always longing for a JA Julie

murahilin

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2020, 10:32:45 AM »

Thanks for all the great responses,
Now:
Which cultivar should I plant? Partial Shade? Full sun? Irrigation? THANK YOU


I would recommend planting a seedling and then grafting it with any good tasting fruit. I wouldn't bother looking for a specific cultivar in Florida since the only nursery with named cultivars that I know of is Excalibur and last I checked the smallest size grafted Malay apple they had was in a 25 gallon or so.

HMHausman on the forum had a seedling Malay apple tree growing in Davie that took 15 years or so to fruit and was probably 25 ft tall. My tree took about 8 years to fruit.

Hawaii has more variety so maybe you can find a grafted tree from there. Or alternatively, maybe someone from Hawaii can mail you some budwood from a good quality variety.

This is a tree that is definitely in need of a dwarf cultivar.


Johnny Redland

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Re: Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2020, 03:54:36 PM »
One word of warning about Malay apple, it seems like the common nursery stock in Florida (at least from PIN) is not that great.
I had 3 planted so far, one fruit after 8 years (only year to fruit) it been there for like 15 years at this point
I also have one planted at my current house since 2014 and no flowers yet.

Seems like everyone I know who bring seeds from "back home" has much better success with the quality fruit and precocity

Excalibur has two different grafted varieties. A white fruiting type and one that one that gets very dark that is named "Black". I've had the fruit from the Black one a few times and it was pretty good. If I remember correctly, the Black was from a fruit Richard Wilson found in a market in Central America.


In response to being called out, I will admit my daughter loves them. She was eating 3 per sitting of larger ones at the age of 2. But what do those darn kids know anyway  ::)

She has great taste in fruit. I was unsuccessful in trying to convince my kids to try Malay apple fruit this year.

Do you have a tree or did someone give you the fruit?

We've tried the fruit the past 2 years from one of the trees at Fruit and Spice Park.  The tree they have there is different than most, in that it has GIANT leaves.  A friend of mine got budwood from that tree a few years back his trees grow FAST!  All have already flowered and are at least 10-15ft tall in 65 gal pots

Honest Abe

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Re: Malay Apple - Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2020, 08:43:47 PM »
Thanks Murahilin and Johnny Redland
I shall take both your suggestions and go forth on my search for a great Malay Apple tree in my own yard. I may go take a look at the one down at Fruit and Spice and decide if it’s pretty enough for the front yard. It’s so rare that I’m sure there won’t be too many fruit thieves. My front yard has solid sun.
Thanks again y’all

Johnny Redland

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Re: Malay Apple - Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2020, 09:06:51 AM »
Thanks Murahilin and Johnny Redland
I shall take both your suggestions and go forth on my search for a great Malay Apple tree in my own yard. I may go take a look at the one down at Fruit and Spice and decide if it’s pretty enough for the front yard. It’s so rare that I’m sure there won’t be too many fruit thieves. My front yard has solid sun.
Thanks again y’all

Once it’s established, it fruits so heavily that you might actually welcome some fruit thieves

bsbullie

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Re: Malay Apple - Otaheite Apple: Anyone growing in South Florida?
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2020, 10:15:14 AM »
Thanks Murahilin and Johnny Redland
I shall take both your suggestions and go forth on my search for a great Malay Apple tree in my own yard. I may go take a look at the one down at Fruit and Spice and decide if it’s pretty enough for the front yard. It’s so rare that I’m sure there won’t be too many fruit thieves. My front yard has solid sun.
Thanks again y’all

It is definitely a nice specimen tree for the front yard.  Blooms are really nice, too.
- Rob