What To Plant in 3' x 3' Space Adjacent To House In Zone 10b?

[Grow Tropicals]

I am fairly new to this forum, so greetings everyone!

I'm in South Florida (Zone 10b) on a relatively small lot in a "zero lot line" HOA development.  Over the last several years I've been converting my backyard into a tropical food forest and I'm looking for some interesting things to fill in some of the smaller spaces including a 3' x 3' raised bed that's adjacent to the neighbor's house (my side of the zero lot line!  )

Whatever it is, I'd like to maintain it to no more than 6' - 7', if possible and shorter would be fine.  The space does get a good amount of sun.

Most of the fruit trees I grow are listed in my profile.  In addition to the fruit trees, I already grow Katuk, Sisso/Brazillian Spinach, Longevity Spinach, Cranberry Hibiscus, Blueberries, sweet potatoes, Miracle Fruit, Turmeric, Ginger, Pineapples and Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia Formosa) for the under-story type stuff, and I'm not really interested in any Mangoes or any more tropical spinach (i.e. Okinawa, Malabar, Egyptian, etc.) for that space.  I'd prefer something fruiting and/or medicinal, if possible.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[FMfruitforest]

Barbados Cherry, can be kept as Bush and can have excellent quality fruit, seems resistant to fruit fly larvae and produces excellent given enough sunlight

[Grow Tropicals]

Barbados Cherry, can be kept as Bush and can have excellent quality fruit, seems resistant to fruit fly larvae and produces excellent given enough sunlight

Thanks!  I do already have a Barbados (Acerola) Cherry.  It should be listed with the Fruit Trees in my profile.  Coincidently, though, the 3' x 3' bed is directly across from the Barbados Cherry when coming through the gate from the front to the back. 

[Satya]

naranjilla?

[Grow Tropicals]

naranjilla?

Thank you!  That's a great suggestion and a fruit I was not previously familiar with.  I might give it a try, but in researching it, I found this:

the naranjilla cannot tolerate temperatures over 85 degrees F. (29 C.) and flourishes in climates with temps between 62 and 66 degrees F. (17-19 C.)

It may get a little warm for that here.

Is there anyone else who might be growing this in South Florida???

[FruitGrower]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

[Grow Tropicals]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

I've been very interested in Jaboticabas for some time and would love to find space for one, but didn't think they'd fit into the small spaces I have left.  Every picture I see of Jaboticabas shows some pretty large trees with extensive branching.  Would they be OK next to my neighbor's house & foundation?  The center of the trunk would literally be about 18" away from it.  Any varieties you can recommend for both taste and the ability to maintain small? 

[bsbullie]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

I've been very interested in Jaboticabas for some time and would love to find space for one, but didn't think they'd fit into the small spaces I have left.  Every picture I see of Jaboticabas shows some pretty large trees with extensive branching.  Would they be OK next to my neighbor's house & foundation?  The center of the trunk would literally be about 18" away from it.  Any varieties you can recommend for both taste and the ability to maintain small?

No, thats too tight.

Do you literally need to keep the plant itself 3 feet wide max?

[Grow Tropicals]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

I've been very interested in Jaboticabas for some time and would love to find space for one, but didn't think they'd fit into the small spaces I have left.  Every picture I see of Jaboticabas shows some pretty large trees with extensive branching.  Would they be OK next to my neighbor's house & foundation?  The center of the trunk would literally be about 18" away from it.  Any varieties you can recommend for both taste and the ability to maintain small?

No, thats too tight.

Do you literally need to keep the plant itself 3 feet wide max?

Yeah...pretty  much...I might get away with 4' by letting it spill into the walkway, but 4' would be pushing it.  I really need something around the size of a Miracle Fruit or Randia Formosa.  I could probably get away with a small fig tree if I trained it as a shrub.  So much to grow and so little space! 

[bsbullie]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

I've been very interested in Jaboticabas for some time and would love to find space for one, but didn't think they'd fit into the small spaces I have left.  Every picture I see of Jaboticabas shows some pretty large trees with extensive branching.  Would they be OK next to my neighbor's house & foundation?  The center of the trunk would literally be about 18" away from it.  Any varieties you can recommend for both taste and the ability to maintain small?

No, thats too tight.

Do you literally need to keep the plant itself 3 feet wide max?

Yeah...pretty  much...I might get away with 4' by letting it spill into the walkway, but 4' would be pushing it.  I really need something around the size of a Miracle Fruit or Randia Formosa.  I could probably get away with a small fig tree if I trained it as a shrub.  So much to grow and so little space! 

Being very creative with pruning, you might get away with surinam cherry, pitangatuba, kumquat, hot peppers (scotch bonnet, ghost, reaper, hit pot, etc.)

[bovine421]

Dwarf June Plum/ Golden Apple


Other possibilities dwarf avocado dwarf five star fruit and Emperor lychee


https://plantogram.com/product/avocado-tree-utuado-dwarf-variety-grafted/
Put Utuado in search engine


Dwarf 5 star fruit


Emperor lychee


Dwarf short-cycle Puerto Rican plantain

[bsbullie]

Dwarf June Plum/ Golden Apple

If you keep it chopped to a stick.  Keeping any "tree" griqing healthy and fruiting in a 3 foot size will be near impossible. 

Tea plant, Camellia sinensis, is also an option.

[FruitGrower]

That space sounds perfect for Jaboticaba.

I've been very interested in Jaboticabas for some time and would love to find space for one, but didn't think they'd fit into the small spaces I have left.  Every picture I see of Jaboticabas shows some pretty large trees with extensive branching.  Would they be OK next to my neighbor's house & foundation?  The center of the trunk would literally be about 18" away from it.  Any varieties you can recommend for both taste and the ability to maintain small?

I was thinking a small variety like the red would be good there but if you have to keep it within that 3x3 space then that may be too tight. Here’s my 2-year-old red in a 3x6 planter right next to the house:





I am planning on keeping it confined to that space but I have a good bit more width to work with. I based this on the documented growth habit of what looks like a red jabo from 7-10 years, found here: https://growingfruit.org/t/jaboticaba/4876

It’s hard to say if that would eventually in your space without seeing pictures of it but that website will give you a good idea of what a red jabo can get to in 10 years.

[Satya]

naranjilla?

Thank you!  That's a great suggestion and a fruit I was not previously familiar with.  I might give it a try, but in researching it, I found this:

the naranjilla cannot tolerate temperatures over 85 degrees F. (29 C.) and flourishes in climates with temps between 62 and 66 degrees F. (17-19 C.)

It may get a little warm for that here.

Is there anyone else who might be growing this in South Florida???

Echo farm has been selling it for several years now, they are usually pretty good at choosing species that thrive in our climate. I finally bought a plant, can't wait to fruit it.

[Grow Tropicals]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.  I agree that there are few trees that are maintainable in that space for long term.  I really don't have room for anymore trees but, due to my "tree fetish" I recently purchased a Kampung Mauve Sugar Apple that I have in a container.  The more I think about it, my best bet may be to move the Cranberry Hibiscus to that 3' x 3' space and see if I get enough room to put the Sugar Apple in the ground.  I appreciate all the input!

[Plantinyum]

My suggestions would be some kind of citrus grafted on a flying dragon rootstock, for the extreme dwarfing effect. Others would be pineapple, orange jasmine, natal plum, physalis peruviana, maybe a hard pruned dragon fruit will also fit in this space. Curry tree is one that also comes to mind ,I think it stays smallish naturally. Maybe also plant a vanilla orchid.....

[John B]

My suggestions would be some kind of citrus grafted on a flying dragon rootstock, for the extreme dwarfing effect. Others would be pineapple, orange jasmine, natal plum, physalis peruviana, maybe a hard pruned dragon fruit will also fit in this space. Curry tree is one that also comes to mind ,I think it stays smallish naturally. Maybe also plant a vanilla orchid.....

I would agree with dragon fruit. Just bend the leading vine over at desired height. It will also stay more narrow rather than using a trellis.

[Grow Tropicals]

I love Dragonfruit and Dragonfruit could work but I'm already growing multiple varieties just 12 feed south of that space and was looking for something different.

For Dragonfruit, I'm currently growing American Beauty, Physical Graffiti, Ecuador Palora, S8 Sugar Dragon, and Frankies Red Dragon. 

I also have Vietnam White that's been very productive and delicious fruit but it's suffered a lot damage over this winter so it had to be cut way back and I'm going to probably replace that with one of those other varietiess. The main stalk, at the base of one of the two plants is completely severed.  It still looks healthy only because I got rid of a ton of the  unhealthy stuff and because there are so many aerial roots, including some pretty thick ones that have made their way into the soil.  I'm pretty impressed it's still alive but don't expect much production, now.