The Tropical Fruit Forum

Quote from: Tropical Sunshine on November 12, 2023, 10:09:55 AM

Quote from: Jack, Nipomo on November 11, 2023, 09:01:19 AM

Not just a good fruit, frost hardy, and ornamental too.

Thanks for giving us hope that the NZ varieties are really as good and as productive as many fruit tree nurseries had stated!

Once I prepare and work in organic matter on a plot of land,  I hope to become the proud owner of a little pineapple guava orchard. No winter protection needed since my winter climate is mild enough for them. They are said to be hardy down to 5F, which IMHO, is amazing for a South American fruit tree...🙂

I saw slight leaf damage and some small amount of damage to stem tips at 16°F, so I think you'll see some more significant damage quite a bit higher than 5°F,  but that might be the kill threshold.

Yeah I did notice some slight leaf damages on them when my area got down to the mid to low 20s (F) during our recent freak freezes. I just mentioned the 5F because of what some literatures and nurseries had reported. It’s probably the absolute lowest temperature that their roots can handle...Even in the mid to high teens (F), I suggest they get a deep mulch of safe straw or bark to help the roots stay drier and warmer than the surrounding exposed soil...

I can sell the cuttings. Do not know when is good time to graft so I can cut on demand. Theres fruits as of now, so i can add 1/2 lb of fruits for additional  $5. Names are oval and circle for now.

Oh darn, I was hoping you would call the round one, Da Bomb and the oval one, Bazooka! 😉😛😂

Okay great, appreciate the offer!!

Ok, you guys convinced me to buy a few trees. I ended up ordering the NZ varieties (4) that Tropical Sunshine mentioned.

The Thai giant guava and Mexican cream guava have helped push for the interest of the general guava. I feel that the pineapple guava hasn’t been mentioned in mainstream society as much as the former. I wish you the best of luck in planting those NZ varieties from One Green World. Perhaps your posting on the merits of each variety once it fruits could help ignite a stronger interest in the less mentioned, but equally deserving fruit as the pineapple guava...

New Zealand breeders have found a few great cultivars, many with larger fruits and/or higher brix than your typical pineapple guavas. One Green World has a couple of them available right now.

Just a suggestion, but you may want to call it, Isan Indigo ‘Metairie’ purple sugar apple.

The typical purple sugar apple has a rather inferior quality when compared to green sugar apple varieties such as Na Dai (big fruits with some weighing up to 2 lbs, chewy flesh, and fewer seeds).

Because your purple sugar apple genetic originates in the Isan region of Thailand, you’re on a good start. By the way, the Thai and the Vietnamese are madly in love with their sugar apples! Some of the best and most promising genetics originate in those countries...

Durian: I am king of fruits.

Chempedak: I want to be like king of fruits.

Durian: Not a chance, you will need to smell like me first!

Chempedak: I will try! Two can play that game! 

Hey “g” your trip to Hawaii to meet up with Joe Hewitt and go over his large plant collection is epic! I watched both parts of your video and they are clear and informative. Good job man and keep up the great work!

That’s awesome that you have durio chempedak! I’m surprised Hawaii has many rare fruit genetics that you normally could only get in Southeast Asia. Years ago I could only dream of growing durio chempedak as only a few vendors from Borneo or Malaysia had them. Thanks for helping to circulate those rare genetics around the country! Variety is the spice of life as the old adage says...

From my experience...

Kadsura cocinnea will grow in full sun in a mild climate (Highs in the 70s-80s(F) and lows in the 60s-50s (F), such as coastal SoCal and certain regions of the Mediterranean).

Otherwise, it prefers/appreciates being grown under dappled shade in hot climates (Highs in the 100s-90s(F) and lows in the 80s-70s(F) with high humidity, such as South Texas, South Florida, lowland Puerto Rico, etc...)

Most are very prone to root rot (makes sense considering they like to inhabit mountain slopes in Southeast Asia and Southern China). So avoid growing them in wet, muddy soil...

Once established, they are surprisingly quite resilient!

Thanks Kaz for providing fresh, healthy mulberry cuttings! In the previous order, I’ll give you an update...

The Black Pakistan cuttings were rooted. No leaf growth yet, but I did the scratch test on the bark and most are still green.

The Red Himalayans were grafted. To my surprise, most are still green and a couple of leaf buds on a few cuttings are showing signs of growth.

Now the bummer part. Not sure if it has to do with rootstock and scion compatibility issues or my grafting technique, but already many Australian Green grafts have dried out. It appears Australian Green variety is even more finicky at grafting than the White Shahtoot variety. I think I would like to try a few more Australian Green cuttings and, hopefully, I can get that bad boy to graft successfully...

Yeah in Asia the tiny, wrinkly seeds are usually referred to as chicken tongues due to the resemblance. Anyhow, from what I can tell from the description it appears to bear some resemblance to Kohala longans, with a crop having a mixture of regular and chicken tongue seeds and tends toward alternate bearing...Its fruits are also quite delicious!

Can you give me some of the merits of the Sakip longan?
I’m looking for varieties with a good number of fruits with “chicken tongue” seeds and also high productivity is a plus. Land is at a premium so if I’m going through the trouble of watering, weeding, and feeding, just need to know I’m getting a decent return for my investment, thanks!