Author Topic: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8  (Read 11220 times)

D-Grower

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Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« on: January 03, 2020, 07:16:49 AM »
Hello all!

I like wierd exotic stuff that is out of the ordinary. After doing lots of research I've stumbled upon many odd ball species but it seems you can always find more with enough diligence. I'm here to ask the community of knowledgeable fruit people what wierd zone 8 hardy fruits have you come to know? Trying to gather a list of all things that may grow well here in the Florida panhandle where some years may hit 15°F. Want stuff that can handle here without winter help or very limited help. Open to anything really from perennial herbs, veggies, useful non fruit baring edible/medicinal trees/bushes, to fruit baring species. Obviously I'm a fruit guy too so that's the main interest but all is welcome here if it's useful and will grow well. In other relevant info the soil I have is thick and clay like. Not great drainage but manageable. Willing to adjust planting sites for species that need good drainage though. I do have areas of my land that can remain soggy and hold water for days at the least too so any plants that can handle flooding on occasion but then drying out potentially for periods too are much needed. Let me please hear your wealth of suggestions!

Thanks! DG
Trying to grow it all!

Jabba The Hutt

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2020, 09:55:44 AM »
Pindo palm (Jelly Palm)... supposedly can handle down to 5 degrees. Edible palm fruit!!!

stuartdaly88

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2020, 12:23:06 PM »
Hello all!

I like wierd exotic stuff that is out of the ordinary. After doing lots of research I've stumbled upon many odd ball species but it seems you can always find more with enough diligence. I'm here to ask the community of knowledgeable fruit people what wierd zone 8 hardy fruits have you come to know? Trying to gather a list of all things that may grow well here in the Florida panhandle where some years may hit 15°F. Want stuff that can handle here without winter help or very limited help. Open to anything really from perennial herbs, veggies, useful non fruit baring edible/medicinal trees/bushes, to fruit baring species. Obviously I'm a fruit guy too so that's the main interest but all is welcome here if it's useful and will grow well. In other relevant info the soil I have is thick and clay like. Not great drainage but manageable. Willing to adjust planting sites for species that need good drainage though. I do have areas of my land that can remain soggy and hold water for days at the least too so any plants that can handle flooding on occasion but then drying out potentially for periods too are much needed. Let me please hear your wealth of suggestions!

Thanks! DG

Please give us the list you have amassed so far!
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2020, 10:49:24 PM »
Already got a few pindo palms going. It's a long process from seeds but the project is underway.

Here's a list of things I'm looking for:

Gooseberry (had a nice one doing well then all of a sudden died...)
Dead man's fingers
Chilean wine palm
Chilean guava(found source but awaiting funds to buy)
Chocolate vine
Perennial nine star broccoli
Perennial kales
Pink lemonade blueberry
Oca tubers
Tuberous nasturshum
Any type of edible true yams
Ramsons
Yellow flowering canna edulis
Green calyx or other than red Roselle
Kiwi vine
Peach or nectarine for this area
Any old deep south heirloom apple or pear
Joy apple
Golden Dorsett apple
Pineapple pear
Kiefer pear(pears and apples I'm willing to attempt grafting onto my existing types)
White mulberry
Arbequina olive
Autumn olive
Spice bush
Wild form fire bush
Water celery
Kang Kong
Tindora
Jicama
Chayote
Other than oleifera edible moringa types
Hardy sugar canes
Cold hardy avocado (fantastic, Joey, Lila, etc have  Stewart and a bacon hybrid type)
Good edible quince
Currents
Filbert
Black walnut
Japanese heartnut
Kingnut hickory or any large inside kernel types
Mandarin melon berry
Japanese raisin tree
Pomegranate types
Rose of Sharon
Marsh mallow
Many more I've run across but that's just a bit off my head

« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 08:03:27 AM by D-Grower »
Trying to grow it all!

achetadomestica

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2020, 06:15:39 PM »
It looks like you are familiar with Just Fruits and Exotics?
They have a great selection for your area.
The one fruit I have heard the most people rave about is
the Paw Paw which should grow in your area.

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2020, 08:40:46 PM »
Yes I'm familiar with them. I do love that place! I'm certain I'll be back there at some point but it is an over 2 hour drive or so from me. Last time I stopped in there I bought two "Select Seedling" pawpaw trees. Super curious to try them in a few years. Already put them in ground a bit raised up because my soil is thick and can be wet sometimes. They are dormant now but I expect decent growth next season. I've bought a grafted nagami(spelling?) Kumquat, a "brown select" satsuma, two pineapple guava, and a fuyu persimmon from them also. All plants are of good quality and seem to be doing good so far. There is much more I want to get from them eventually. Perhaps they might trade me for some stuff as I do have lots of things I didn't see them carrying. Mostly perennial veggies. Think they have a presence here too don't they? Maybe they'll see that. However I need to get grafting and such and if I could source bud wood of some varieties like Joy Apple like they have it'd be much cheaper on me with my budget. It'd be more of an accomplishment too I'd figure.
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SeaWalnut

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2020, 09:17:40 PM »
Forget about the black walnut and choose carpathian walnut if you want to eat the nuts.If you want to plant a native to USA walnut type,then plant the butternut instead of the black walnut.
The butter nut ( juglans cinerea) fruits a lot faster than the black walnut,its threatened with extinction unlike the black walnut and its the tastyest walnut wirh second being the carpathian and the black walnuts are at the bottom of the list.
Loquat is a nice fruit tree.
Ugni( chilean guava) its fast growing and you can breed it easy .
Mini kivis are also nice .
Kaki and american persimmons plus the texas persimmon are well suited for your climate.
Pawpaw was allready mentioned.
You can also grow almonds,cherryes,plums,apricots,peaches.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2020, 09:24:13 PM »
A really odd one would be Kadsura.
And another really odd and rare tree would be the walnuts that makes giant nuts.I made a blog abou them here.http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=31686.0

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2020, 02:11:10 PM »
Carpathian is another name for the English walnut right? Want to be sure but seems so. Definitely would be interested in butternut too especially if they mature quickly and are of better edibility. The big walnut is totally awesome and I'd surly love to get my hands on that! If anyone can ID pay something pretty decent for some seeds. Either way would buy seeds or seedlings of the Carpathian or butternut too if anyone has them that sees this.

Kaki persimmons would be cool. Totally would buy some seeds of that. Already have a handful of native American persimmons going and had got seeds of Texas persimmons a bit ago that are currently stratifying in my refrigerator now.

Got loquat covered already here. Ate many as a child from neighborhood trees so definitely had to grow it. My largest tree is mature and has smallish fruits but decent flavor. Gonna attempt grafting Big Jim on a few branches right before spring from a member here when the time comes. Wouldn't mind putting Christmas on there too.

Chilean guava is on the radar for sure. Had gotten seeds from a member on here from Germany last year and had several sprouts but the darned chickens ruined that... Another member here has plants and I'll buy one or two here soon for sure as well as some other awesome stuff he has. Wanderlust nursery is his company. If you see this great selection man!

Got plums and cherries covered. Wild forms but will graft on later some good types. Don't mind wild stuff at all though. My palate is not picky and I want production at all above quality in my view of things.

Definitely want almonds, peaches, apricot, etc too. Had many nice seedling peaches going but deer grazed them so much they eventually died due to the reoccurring damage. I'll protect better next time.

Thanks for your reply!
Trying to grow it all!

Anolis

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2020, 11:57:16 AM »
I also live in the Florida panhandle, and have had great success with Turks cap hibiscus (edible flowers + leaves), goumi, improved autumn olive, Chinese water chestnuts, cassava, ground nuts (Apios Americana), old fashioned edible daylily, native beauty berry (delicious jelly), coral vine (Antigonon leptopus...invasive potential, but entirely edible), arrow root (Maranta arundinaceae), ginger, turmeric, malanga, pecan, elderberries, Passion fruit, raja puri banana.

Unusual plants I’ve had my eye on:

. Fish mint. (Houttuynia cordata)
. American hazel nut.
. Ginkgo.
. Bunya pine.
. Strawberry guava.
. Taro root.
. Dunstan chestnut.
. Topi tambo (Calathea allouia)
. Suran root (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius).
. Water caltrop.
. Mayhaw trees. (Should handle poor drainage)
. Improved honey locust varieties. (Hershey, millwood, etc.)
. Dioscorea species.
. Latex vine. (Araujia odorata).
. Peruvian apple cactus.(Cereus Peruvianus)
. Improved prickly pear cactus.
. Sochan. (Rudbeckia laciniata)
. Chaya.
. Edible bamboo.
. Magnolia vine. (Schisandra chinensis)
. Lagos spinach. (Celosia argentea)
. Reverend Morgan apple tree.
. Improved Chickasaw plums.
. Good tasting hosta varieties. (Hosta fortunei)
. Ipomoea macrorhiza.
. Star anise. (Illicium verum)
. Florida native pawpaws. Asimina sp.
. Gopher apples.
. Madeira vine. (Anredera cordifolia.)



D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2020, 02:36:31 PM »
Very nice list! Yes many of those I've been eyeing too if I don't already have it. I do have some of those and can help you with that if you like.

As for the stuff you mentioned having there's a few things I'd love to trade you for. The autumn olive, your cassava variety, day lily, coral vine, and whatever passionfruit you have.

Stuff I have you are looking into:

Taro
Dioscorea alata
Improved prickly pear
Chaya
Chickasaw plum (a wild form but has good quality fair sized fruit)
Gopher Apple
Strawberry guava(I don't know if cuttings will root well)

Some are available now but others will have to wait a season or two to share. Chaya, gopher apple, and Dioscorea alata are available now.
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D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2020, 07:51:15 PM »
The Amorphophallus paeoniifolius plant is very cool! I think I may have seen someone locally growing that. There's a person that grows tons of turmeric and gingers, yams, and other stuff I know to be edible in old bath tubs on my way into town from where I live. I saw the tall umbrella looking part of this plant the past season and wondered what the heck that was. Figured everything they are growing is edible that it was a likelihood it could be an edible too I am unfamiliar with. Now I know for sure. Darn near 100% sure that it must have been this plant. I already wanted to stop in and introduce myself as a fellow food plant grower and drop some new stuff on them. Now I definitely want to stop there! They have a fenced yard though is the major issue and I've never seen them outside. If I catch them outside they are getting a friendly introduction!
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Anolis

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2020, 11:31:23 AM »
Yeah, it’s interesting for sure. From my understanding, there are improved varieties of A. paeoniifolius that have been selected for eating quality (less acrid), so I have been trying to source them from ethnic markets to ensure edibility. No luck so far.

I would be happy to trade! Unfortunately, the goats have killed my passion fruit vine, however, I do have some smallish cassava cuttings that may work for you, autumn olive too. The coral vine is supposed to be easy to propagate from tubers, but I’ve not had any luck with it. ...still, I could send you one or two if you’d like to give it a go. The daylilies aren’t dormant yet.

I’m definitely interested in the chaya and gopher apple...and maybe d. alata too, depending on variety. I’m also always on the hunt for fruit tree scion wood, should you have any available. I’ve had some scale on a few of my trees this year, so I don’t think I’d be comfortable sending out any of my own. Figs and autumn olives have not been exposed.


D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2020, 02:29:07 PM »
Whenever you think your ready to trade just let me know via PM.

The D. alata is a good type. Isn't a particular cultivar or whatever but does produce good large tubers in 2-3 seasons with ample aerial bulbils to start new plants. These are a white type. I too grow the purple type but they don't produce bulbils well and the main tuber is more rot prone. Perhaps in another season or two I'll be able to share the edible D. bulbifera variety that I have. Only got a few bulbils this year though. Also have D. polystachys but didn't get any bulbils this season and only a few the previous season. However member Caesar has the goods on the yam varieties.
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bbudd

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2020, 01:46:49 AM »
That amorphalus is amazing
Grows faster then bamboo from huge edible tubers
If your lucky enough and it flowers its truly amazing
Mine flowers almost 2 feet accross
Smells like rotting flesh-but worth it



The seed stalk looks like a stop light-green on bottom-yellow then red on top
makes them easy to spot in the wild

Botanicus

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2020, 08:41:06 AM »
I also live in the Florida panhandle, and have had great success with Turks cap hibiscus (edible flowers + leaves), goumi, improved autumn olive, Chinese water chestnuts, cassava, ground nuts (Apios Americana), old fashioned edible daylily, native beauty berry (delicious jelly), coral vine (Antigonon leptopus...invasive potential, but entirely edible), arrow root (Maranta arundinaceae), ginger, turmeric, malanga, pecan, elderberries, Passion fruit, raja puri banana.

Unusual plants I’ve had my eye on:

. Fish mint. (Houttuynia cordata)
. American hazel nut.
. Ginkgo.
. Bunya pine.
. Strawberry guava.
. Taro root.
. Dunstan chestnut.
. Topi tambo (Calathea allouia)
. Suran root (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius).
. Water caltrop.
. Mayhaw trees. (Should handle poor drainage)
. Improved honey locust varieties. (Hershey, millwood, etc.)
. Dioscorea species.
. Latex vine. (Araujia odorata).
. Peruvian apple cactus.(Cereus Peruvianus)
. Improved prickly pear cactus.
. Sochan. (Rudbeckia laciniata)
. Chaya.
. Edible bamboo.
. Magnolia vine. (Schisandra chinensis)
. Lagos spinach. (Celosia argentea)
. Reverend Morgan apple tree.
. Improved Chickasaw plums.
. Good tasting hosta varieties. (Hosta fortunei)
. Ipomoea macrorhiza.
. Star anise. (Illicium verum)
. Florida native pawpaws. Asimina sp.
. Gopher apples.
. Madeira vine. (Anredera cordifolia.)

Does Star Anise (Illicium verum) grow outside in your garden? Where did you get the plant/seed?

Anolis

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #16 on: January 08, 2020, 09:32:11 AM »
@ Botanicus. No, it doesn’t, but I suspect star anise may be cold hardy enough to pull through a zone 8 winter. I have yet to find a source for the plant...so the search continues.

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2020, 10:31:16 AM »
Just realized I may know you on another forum Botanicus. If so thank you for your contributing species to my gardens. Soap berry trees etc. You may know me as MP(abbreviated) on STS if your the same guy.
Trying to grow it all!

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2020, 04:13:59 PM »
Another plant I want to get is witch hazel if anyone has any.
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triphala

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2020, 02:11:34 AM »
this thread doesnt belong in "Sell & Trade"

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #20 on: January 11, 2020, 08:13:17 AM »
It is intended to find the above mentioned species in an effort to buy or trade for them.
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SilverSapote

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #21 on: January 13, 2020, 07:59:38 PM »
Pringle's Sapote is the only one I know that hasn't been listed yet.

matthedlund

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #22 on: January 14, 2020, 06:25:52 PM »
Thanks for the shoutout D-Grower!  If anyone's curious about the nursery, the website is www.wanderlustnursery.com.  We'll be adding all sorts of few new offerings in March, so check us out.  In addition to what I've seen posted here so far, here are some other fun plants we grow in zone 8b:

Figs
- Ficus carica (Common Fig, many varieties)
- Ficus johannis ssp. Afghanistanica (Afghan Fig)
- Ficus palmata (Punjab Fig)
Wineberries
- Aristotelia chilensis (Chilean Wineberry, Maqui)
- Aristotelia serrata (Mountain Wineberry)
Palms
- Allagoptera arenaria (Seashore Palm)
- Parajubaea torralyi (Bolivian Mountain Coconut)
Myrtaceae
- Luma apiculata (Luma, Arrayan)
- Luma chequen
- Myrceugenia ovata var. nanophylla
- Myrceugenia exsucca (Petra)
- Amomyrtus luma
- Amomyrtus meli
- Myrteola nummularia (Cranberry Myrtle)
- Myrtus communis (True Myrtle)
- Hexachlamys edulis (Ubajay)
- Myrcianthes pungens (Guabiju)
- Myrcianthes fragrans (Simpson's Stopper, Twinberry)
- Psidium longipetiolatum
Blueberry Relatives
- Vaccinium padifolium (Madeiran Blueberry)
- Agapetes serpens
- Agapetes hosseana
Other
- Leycesteria formosa (Himalayan Honeysuckle)
- Lonicera caerulea (Honeyberry, Haskap)
- Camellia sinensis (Tea)
- Tasmannia lanceolata (Tasmanian Mountain Pepper)
- Billardiera longiflora (Tasmanian Apple Berry)
- Maihuenia poeppigii (really cool cactus)
- Ullucus tuberosus (Ulluco)
- Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacón)
- Dahlia imperialis (Tree Dahlia)
- Lardizabala biternata (Zabala)
- Lapageria rosea (Chilean Bellflower)
- Elaeagnus latifolia (Indian Olive, Bastar Oleander)
- Zanthoxylum simulans (Sichuan Pepper)
- Zanthoxylum piperitum (Sansho Pepper)
- Zingiber mioga (Japanese Ginger, Myoga)
- Rubus calycinoides (Creeping Raspberry, Emerald Carpet)
- Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate)




Carpathian is another name for the English walnut right? Want to be sure but seems so. Definitely would be interested in butternut too especially if they mature quickly and are of better edibility. The big walnut is totally awesome and I'd surly love to get my hands on that! If anyone can ID pay something pretty decent for some seeds. Either way would buy seeds or seedlings of the Carpathian or butternut too if anyone has them that sees this.

Kaki persimmons would be cool. Totally would buy some seeds of that. Already have a handful of native American persimmons going and had got seeds of Texas persimmons a bit ago that are currently stratifying in my refrigerator now.

Got loquat covered already here. Ate many as a child from neighborhood trees so definitely had to grow it. My largest tree is mature and has smallish fruits but decent flavor. Gonna attempt grafting Big Jim on a few branches right before spring from a member here when the time comes. Wouldn't mind putting Christmas on there too.

Chilean guava is on the radar for sure. Had gotten seeds from a member on here from Germany last year and had several sprouts but the darned chickens ruined that... Another member here has plants and I'll buy one or two here soon for sure as well as some other awesome stuff he has. Wanderlust nursery is his company. If you see this great selection man!

Got plums and cherries covered. Wild forms but will graft on later some good types. Don't mind wild stuff at all though. My palate is not picky and I want production at all above quality in my view of things.

Definitely want almonds, peaches, apricot, etc too. Had many nice seedling peaches going but deer grazed them so much they eventually died due to the reoccurring damage. I'll protect better next time.

Thanks for your reply!

D-Grower

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #23 on: January 15, 2020, 08:08:03 AM »
Yes! These are the kinda plants I'm trying to find. Great suggestions people! Please by all means keep it up!
Trying to grow it all!

Botanicus

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Re: Odd unusually seen fruits hardy to zone 8
« Reply #24 on: January 15, 2020, 09:10:48 AM »
 
Just realized I may know you on another forum Botanicus. If so thank you for your contributing species to my gardens. Soap berry trees etc. You may know me as MP(abbreviated) on STS if your the same guy.

 ;) yea thats me - Cheers!