Anyone still growing Phalsa?

[fliptop]

I got seeds Dec 2024 from tradewinds, planted them in March 2025, and have a small Phalsa flowering. Plant needs to get acclimated to full sun before it goes out in the yard. Anyone else still growing this? Any insight into growing conditions, maintenance, etc.? I've read on old threads they don't like wet feet but like fertilizer (which I don't provide). Thanks!

[Finca La Isla]

I have a large phalsa bush on my farm in Costa Rica. It gets pretty wet where it is.  We don’t use NPK but do apply mulch and lacto bacillus micros.  Seems to do fine.
Peter

[fliptop]

Thanks, Peter!

[Colin]

I have one in a 3 gal pot that rooted through the pot into the ground. I completely neglect it and it always does fine, this is its 3rd year fruiting. It died back once, I believe because of the cold but it came right back and fruited the same year. Not a fan of the berries personally but they’re not awful, kind of tastes like a green apple to me.

[Sharq]

I have one in a 3 gal pot that rooted through the pot into the ground. I completely neglect it and it always does fine, this is its 3rd year fruiting. It died back once, I believe because of the cold but it came right back and fruited the same year. Not a fan of the berries personally but they’re not awful, kind of tastes like a green apple to me.

Did it die back or just lose its leaves? It is decidueous and pretty cold hardy. Having actual die back in Tampa would be pretty surprising.
I have most of mine in 1 gallons, but they escaped the pot and the roots got damaged when I moved them. They didn't like that. I haven't gotten fruits or flowers on mine yet, about a year and a half old from seed.

[Malhar]

I grow them in coastal CA (10a). For me, they grow slowly as I don't get much heat. They drop leaves and become dormant during winter months. I fertilize them couple times a year.  Fruit is green initially but changes color to red and eventually to purple. They are ripe when color is purple-almost black. They taste tangy and slightly sweet when fully ripe.

[fliptop]

Thanks, Colin, Sharq, and Malhar!

I do plan on putting these out in the yard. I was (and always am) on the lookout for smaller plants to go in between the trees and Phalsa seemed like a good candidate, hence me getting the seeds.

This is my second time trying to grow it. The first time I ordered seeds, a bunch did sprout but soon died off. I'm more encouraged with the two plants I presently have.

[Colin]

I have one in a 3 gal pot that rooted through the pot into the ground. I completely neglect it and it always does fine, this is its 3rd year fruiting. It died back once, I believe because of the cold but it came right back and fruited the same year. Not a fan of the berries personally but they’re not awful, kind of tastes like a green apple to me.

Did it die back or just lose its leaves? It is decidueous and pretty cold hardy. Having actual die back in Tampa would be pretty surprising.
I have most of mine in 1 gallons, but they escaped the pot and the roots got damaged when I moved them. They didn't like that. I haven't gotten fruits or flowers on mine yet, about a year and a half old from seed.

Definitely was die back, it came back from the roots. Definitely could have been something besides temps though as I really don’t care for it at all.

[akimbo]

Which phalsa?  Grewia tenax or G. asiatica?

[fliptop]

Not sure who you are asking, akimbo, but the seeds I got from tradewinds were labeled Grewia asiatica. That being said, I have received mislabeled seeds from tradewinds in the past.

Which is more preferable, G. tenax or G. asiatica? What are the notable differences?

Thanks!

[fliptop]

Just looked up G. tenax on the interwebs and based on photos of the flowers compared to what was on my plant, it seems I do have G. asiatica.