Author Topic: Growing "Lolita" Suriname Cherry? (Read 2105 times)

Kevin Jones · « **on:** February 18, 2021, 12:28:28 PM »

Anyone growing "Lolita" Suriname Cherry?
I have a seedling which is about 4 years old... Black fruit.... 10 gallon container...5 ft tall and budding up nicely right now on my front porch.
I've noticed it has relatively compact growth habit with darker green leaves than my other Surinames.
I wondered if other growers of this variety noticed these characteristics.
Here's some photos from this fall:

Kevin

Kevin Jones · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2021, 12:29:26 PM »

Deleted

K-Rimes · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2021, 12:55:18 PM »

I have a few lolitas. They are bigger and wider leaves than most is what I note. Fruit production has been so-so but I pruned the living heck out of them last year so I hope it results in fruit this year.

Kevin Jones · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2021, 01:09:01 PM »

I had a few spotty fruits last year... but currently it's covered in buds.

Kevin

K-Rimes · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2021, 02:30:35 PM »

Quote from: Kevin Jones on February 18, 2021, 01:09:01 PM

I had a few spotty fruits last year... but currently it's covered in buds.

Kevin

From what I can tell, surinam cherries thrive on neglect and if they get rootbound, they REALLY produce. I am going to up pot my vermillion into a 25g this year but kind of don't want to cause it made soooo much fruit last year. Ah well, gotta do what's best to get it even bigger THEN let it get root bound

fliptop · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2021, 03:53:40 PM »

I have two Lolita seedlings that are in-ground and 3yrs old. Got the seeds from Trade Winds. No flowers or fruit yet. They are smaller and have smaller-sized, lighter leaves than same-age Zill Dark seedlings.

Tropical Bay Area · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2021, 04:09:36 PM »

anyone got experience with a variety called ‘chamba’?

Kevin Jones · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2021, 04:09:48 PM »

What really catches my attention is the leaf density.

Kevin

K-Rimes · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2021, 05:10:17 PM »

Quote from: Tropical Bay Area on February 18, 2021, 04:09:36 PM

anyone got experience with a variety called ‘chamba’?

I have a bunch of them, but no fruit off of them yet.

ScottR · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2021, 06:43:17 PM »

I have a 'Chamba' and is one of my favorites out of my collection fruits nicely would probaley fruit better if I was in warmer area. I rate it #1 with Vermillion as #2 of my collection well worth growing in my opinion.

Tropical Bay Area · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2021, 06:54:35 PM »

Thanks everyone !

fliptop · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2021, 07:21:28 PM »

Here's a bad pic of one of my seedling Lolita Suriname Cherry trees.

K-Rimes · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2021, 10:19:56 PM »

Quote from: ScottR on February 18, 2021, 06:43:17 PM

I have a 'Chamba' and is one of my favorites out of my collection fruits nicely would probaley fruit better if I was in warmer area. I rate it #1 with Vermillion as #2 of my collection well worth growing in my opinion.

If it's better than vermillion I'm sold. Glad I have a few

Kevin Jones · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2021, 10:13:39 AM »

Are these Chamba and Vermillion plants grafted or seedlings?
They sound outstanding.
Kevin

ScottR · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2021, 12:04:43 PM »

Yes, all of my Surinam Cherry are seedling have Lolita too plus Westree 369 which is a black fruit when ripe and have Zill's dark grafted to Westree 369 seedling. Have the Lorver seedling from Orange County CRFG -collection. Have grafted my Chamba onto many of other older seedling to try to get them to bear better. Vermillion can be tasty at orange stage and can be round or fluted fruit, it's just that my tree in not in good position my start moving some scions of it around onto other older seedling too.

Tropical Bay Area · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2021, 07:37:13 PM »

Quote from: Kevin Jones on February 19, 2021, 10:13:39 AM

Are these Chamba and Vermillion plants grafted or seedlings?
They sound outstanding.
Kevin

I’m actually not sure, my plant is not fruiting yet I just got it 2 days ago but... I can say this
The plant is a bit red from the cold(30-35 F)
The plant looks like a seedling, however I don’t newish for sure
The plant came with a tag that said”CHAMBA SURINAM CHERRY

fliptop · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2021, 07:21:32 PM »

Got my first flower on one of my seedling Lolitas. Had to take a bad pic of it. Hopefully it fruits and I get to it before the birds do . . .

K-Rimes · « **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2021, 12:04:54 PM »

Quote from: fliptop on February 23, 2021, 07:21:32 PM

Got my first flower on one of my seedling Lolitas. Had to take a bad pic of it. Hopefully it fruits and I get to it before the birds do . . .

Looks like mine, the tiniest of flower branches on it. Mine usually get roasted by the sun in spring since I lose all my leaves... Hoping this year they hold on

fliptop · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2022, 04:56:53 PM »

Finally have some fruit hanging on to one of my Lolita seedlings, and the other is about to burst with flowers. Though they're seedlings, their growth habit and appearance is the same--they're staying small (3 1/2 - 4ft tall) with small light leaves. After the freeze, one of them turned into a Japanese Maple

Here's the fruit on the other

Jose Spain · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2022, 05:32:57 PM »

I have 6 seedling of Red Lolita from Raúl, the original plant is so sweet that even his dogs eat the fruit, mine didn't produce yet but the biggest ones should do it this year, or at least that's what I hope...

SHV · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2022, 05:42:44 PM »

Fliptop, beautiful foliage on your Lolita pitanga coming out of winter. Congrats on the fruit. My Lolita seedling hold the fruit until they are nearly black.
They still have a resinous taste even when dark, but I like it. I think every SoCA yard should have one of these trees if you want fruit quickly, in large quantities, and have the sophisticated tastebuds of a real fruit connoisseur

Here is a picture my 4 year old Lolita seedling in March, loaded with flowers.

fliptop · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2022, 09:01:39 PM »

Awesome tree, SHV! Its stature looks like my two seedlings. Where did you get your seeds? Or did you acquire it as a seedling? Jose Spain, hopefully your red one fruits--if so, let us know how it was

SHV · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2022, 10:57:58 PM »

I acquired mine as a one year old seedling from Exotica in Vista, CA. They always stock a ton of these from their mother tree. I also have a Florida Giant Black from Exotica that has larger leaves but similar growth habit.

K-Rimes · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2022, 01:45:19 PM »

I ended up bucking my 7' lolita down to a stump and leaving half of it grafted Zill's and the other short stump I will let recover as lolita for cross pollination. I got tired of the little tiny blossoms getting burnt off by heat in my area. This cultivar may be better adapted to more humid climates than mine is my guess.

On that note, I stumped two pitangas and both are coming back with a fervor I haven't seen before. HUGE bushy growth with massive glossy thick leaves.

fliptop · « **Reply #24 on:** May 15, 2022, 09:11:57 AM »

My one 4yr-old seedling is holding fruit--they look a little elongated, eh? The tree/bush is only 3 1/2 feet tall at best. I like the compactness of it.

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Author Topic: Growing "Lolita" Suriname Cherry? (Read 2105 times)