Best Fruit Trees for Yard on Canal with Iguanas

[roblack]

Good morning all.

Have a friend who lives on a canal. Wants to put in some fruit trees, but the iguanas are prolific.

What fruit trees are least likely to be bothered? How might a mangoes fare?

Not sure what measures he is willing to take, so interested in fruits iguanas would be least interested in. Also, ornamentals.

Apologies if this question has already been answered. Searched...

[skhan]

From what i see in my father's yard where the iguanas run rampant, mangos, coconuts, and guavas don't seem to be bothered much.
Soursop and Rollinia have been devastated

[johnb51]

I didn't live on a canal, but there were dozens of iguanas around.  I never saw them eat any fruit, not even soursop.  They seemed to prefer tender young leaves, like on papaya plants.

[TheGivingTree]

The iguanas near me are ravenous. They eat almost everything except for my fruit trees - moringa, passion fruit leaves, sweet potato and every vegetable I've attempted. Mangos, lychee, longan, sapotes, annonas, jackfruit have all been untouched. Seems like if humans would eat it they already had it for breakfast.

[roblack]

Thank you everyone! This helps.

Would be nice to gift them a mango tree, so this info is promising thus far.

If iguanas dog out soursop, seems they would probably feast on surgarlata and cherilata and the likes.

Any other experiences with iguanas and annonas of different types?

[Jani]

I also live near a canal with prolific iguanas, and they don't touch any fruit (mango, lychee, sapodilla, sweetsop, atemoya, june plum) they do love to chomp my scotch bonnet pepper leaves though, other than that they just graze on little weeds and shoots on the lawn, and some flowers in the larger flowering trees.

[roblack]

this is wonderful news

[bsbullie]

I have basilisks and big mama iguanas  (3-5 footers) and they dont touch my mangoes, bananas, surinam cherries or hog plums (I have saps but they are too small and not fruiting).  Squirrels and birds cause the problems for me

[skhan]

Thank you everyone! This helps.

Would be nice to gift them a mango tree, so this info is promising thus far.

If iguanas dog out soursop, seems they would probably feast on surgarlata and cherilata and the likes.

Any other experiences with iguanas and annonas of different types?

He had a custard apple right next to it, they don't bother that.
It's mostly the little ones eating all the new leaves so the tree will eventually die. It when from fruiting almost year round to deaths door.

[bovine421]

Hedge Apple or Osage Orange tree. Not much chance they would bother this.

[Jaboticaba45]

Hedge Apple or Osage Orange tree. Not much chance they would bother this.

They wouldn't eat osage orange I think but the only part of osage orange you can eat is the seeds... and it is a wild tree not cultivated for its fruits...

[bovine421]

Hedge Apple or Osage Orange tree. Not much chance they would bother this.

They wouldn't eat osage orange I think but the only part of osage orange you can eat is the seeds... and it is a wild tree not cultivated for its fruits...

I was being facetious I was thinking maybe the iguanas would impale themselves on the thorns

[Jaboticaba45]

Hedge Apple or Osage Orange tree. Not much chance they would bother this.

They wouldn't eat osage orange I think but the only part of osage orange you can eat is the seeds... and it is a wild tree not cultivated for its fruits...

I was being facetious I was thinking maybe the iguanas would impale themselves on the thorns

lol... Then I would add salak to the list also

[Mike T]

I have a lizard issue as well and the pictured one laughs about salaks. It is the biggest goanna that visits me and in our 15 year battle it has attacked ducks chased the cat, eaten all the eggs while at work and even has the hide to threaten me in my own yard.I don' want to kill it but its a reptile skating on thin ice.

[cbss_daviefl]

They also love mulberry. Iguanas killed a few young sugar apples. Proximity to the canal is key. Anything they actively consume, I now plant at least 100 ft away from the canal. They don't seem to want to go more than 60 ft from it.  They will climb my lychee and longan trees to eat fruit resulting in broken branches. They also consume mangos on the ground. Late in the season, they will climb mango trees to eat hanging fruit. I have a keitt tree right next to the canal that is a favorite meal spot.

[pineislander]

I know little about iguana but expect that young trees of any type would be susceptible especially tender young growth.
Trying to grow plants with a large dominant herbivore seems like it would be a very tough thing.

[roblack]

That's quite a monitor Mike! A beauty, I would want to make peace with it. Probably eats mice and rats too.

..sad to hear some are having issues with iguanas eating mangoes. Probably can learn to eat about any fruits and veggies we like.

[LoganMcdaniel]

I can imagine how frustrating it is to deal with iguanas destroying fruit trees. As for fruit trees, which iguanas will bother less often, I suggest considering citrus trees such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Iguanas don't like the taste and smell of citrus, so these trees might be a good option. As for mango trees, iguanas may be more attractive to them because of their sweet smell and taste.

[johnb51]

I can imagine how frustrating it is to deal with iguanas destroying fruit trees. As for fruit trees, which iguanas will bother less often, I suggest considering citrus trees such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Iguanas don't like the taste and smell of citrus, so these trees might be a good option. As for mango trees, iguanas may be more attractive to them because of their sweet smell and taste.

Another spammer!  Help!  Yes, people, get rid of all your mango trees, and plant citrus.  More brilliant ideas on the way.

[JakeFruit]

I'm curious what spam link they were going to place....I mean, it's a thread about iguanas and fruit trees. Not exactly a keyword mecca

[roblack]

Maybe they were going to come back with an iguana recipe book link. 

[JakeFruit]

Maybe they were going to come back with an iguana recipe book link.

Damn Rob, you just hit on a great idea!