Has anyone fruited a marula tree in the USA?

[Draak]

I see several people growing marula, but I see only very few people who have successfully fruited their marula. It seems that seedling trees want to be HUGE before they finally set fruit, as shown by EvilFruit's successful marula: https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=192.0;all. I definitely don't have enough real-estate to let any of my trees grow this big, so the barrier to entry for me is too high.

However, grafting a branch from a fruited tree onto a seedling rootstock will give a fruiting plant at what appears to be ~2m tall after 3 years (see figure 2.6 http://www.secheresse.info/spip.php?article11527). I can definitely grow that!

The only fruited marula in the USA that I know of is the infamous fruit & spice park marula, and I have yet to see a favorable review of the fruit on that tree.

[fruitlovers]

Apparently there are much better types of marula than the ones from F&S park. So if you do decide to plant it source the seeds from elsewhere. Israel has done a lot of trials on different types of marula. So that would seem to be a good place to source superior types.

[Daintree]

I got my marula seeds from a forum member in South Africa, so know nothing about the Fruit and Spice Park trees, but I am certainly hoping mine eventually flower and fruit! I have had good luck with other trees such as cacao and different annonas.

My previous batch of marula were about 10 ft tall, but I only had three and had no idea if they were male or female, and didn't want them taking up space while I waited to find out, so I cut them down.  Once I heard about how to tell the difference between male and female seeds, I started a new batch, keeping them carefully marked from the sprouting stage onward.  I plan to graft some male branches onto the female trees when they get bigger (they are 4 ft tall right now) so I don't have to keep so many trees.

On another note, I had been meaning to ask this - has anyone else seen a difference in the growth patterns and vigor of male vs female marula seedlings?  I have noticed that my male trees seem to be much taller and more vigorous, whereas my female trees are bushier.  Also, when I pruned them to force branching, the males put up multiple leaders, whereas the females only made a single leader.

Cheers,
Carolyn

[hellosf]

Woohoo, my Marula trees finally fruited this year! The seeds were started in 2014 and planted in 2015. They are hardy and require very little care to thrive in a SW environment. Good luck everyone.

[socalbalcony2]

Woohoo, my Marula trees finally fruited this year! The seeds were started in 2014 and planted in 2015. They are hardy and require very little care to thrive in a SW environment. Good luck everyone.

Dang! You pulled this off in san diego? Would love to visit sometime.

[shaneatwell]

Nice! Taste?

To carolyns qurstion, my female wad 3x as vigorous as my male.

[TropicalFruitSeeker]

Good luck everyone.

I have a 1yo seedling growing right now. I might have to ask you for a scion if mine turns out to be a male!

[hellosf]

Happy to provide scions, or seeds.

[brian]

I've never even heard of this, will have to look it up.

Does it taste good??

Congratulations, of course!

[hellosf]

I'll report back on the taste in a few days, as I am not at home right now. 

I do not know yet, when to harvest the fruits, and I believe that I initially tasted a somewhat unripe fruit that I pulled off the tree. The initial fruit was somewhat acidic with a sweet smelling aroma. A few days later, a whole bunch of fruits had fallen to the ground, and they may have sat on the ground for a little while before we notice, and also sat in the heat. I will report back with an update on the taste in a few days. I am also going to try to harvest the nut.

Woohoo, my Marula trees finally fruited this year! The seeds were started in 2014 and planted in 2015. They are hardy and require very little care to thrive in a SW environment. Good luck everyone.

Dang! You pulled this off in san diego? Would love to visit sometime.

[Zimcal]

I germinated one of two seeds I bought online this summer. I had them in a covered pot for weeks nothing until it got very hot (above 90 degrees) pics of my baby, which I potted up and put outside amongst the corn
It’s starting to cool off here in Northern California, zone 9b. I’m guessing I’ll need to bring my sapling indoors soon to over-winter