The Tropical Fruit Forum

I'm not sure if this is kosher to post on here and if not murahilin please remove-

Just wanted to forward along a call for donations I recently received from sacredsucculents.com I am in no way affiliated with this organization other than being a longtime patron and friend of the proprietor Ben Kamm,

He has done a lot of work to bring rare south american and african edibles to the US and too many other projects to comprehensively list, without further ado-

Greetings friends and fellow plant-people,

This is a call for aid. We seek your support to fund extensive renovations to the aging infrastructure of Sacred Succulent's nursery & conservancy-research garden—endeavors that are now critical to preserving the high diversity of rare & endangered plants we offer and grow here in the face of ongoing losses from increasingly erratic climatic shifts.

The first and most vital phase is renovating the entirety of our irrigation systems. Your help is crucial for us to accomplish this massive undertaking.
 
Please Consider Making a Donation Today—any amount helps!
https://ssbp.betterworld.org/campaigns/renovating-our-nursery

Your generosity also helps to:

    Sustain and fortify our diverse living plant collections and seed bank.
    Protect rare & endangered plants by supporting our propagation & distribution efforts.
    Further our research, various writing projects, and efforts to educate and encourage others towards ethnobotanical and ecological literacy.

For more info and nursery photos, see https://sacredsucculents.com/support-our-endeavors

Donations can also be sent as cash, check or money order to:
Sacred Succulents, po box 781, Sebastopol, CA 95473

Note: while Sacred Succulents is not currently a 501(c)(3), we are assessing the viability of transitioning to become a non-profit and are in the process of arranging fiscal-sponsorship: Those interested in making larger, tax-deductible donations should contact us - benkamm@monitor.net

Handpicked plants & seeds, art, special access & catalog discounts, and nursery & garden tours are available as thank you gifts for your donations, select the various donation amounts for specifics.

Please help spread the word about the fundraiser—
we are not on any social media and rely on the grass-root efforts of our fellow phytophiles like you!

Support our conservation work, research, and projects crucial to Sacred Succulents future:
https://ssbp.betterworld.org

“If ever there was a project that deserved support, this is it! Your contributions make a crucial difference... you’ll be helping safeguard plants that are under threat from habitat loss and climate change while also promoting propagation, scientific study, and preservation of traditional knowledge. Not to mention, helping out an amazing family, who have devoted nearly all of their time and energy to making the world a better place, one rare plant at a time. Let’s unite the botanical community around this cause so these extraordinary species (including the rare Mr. Ben Kamm) continue to thrive in both the wild and in cultivation.”
—Matt Magee, Anthropologist, Author of Peruvian Shamanism: The Pachakuti Mesa

“Sacred Succulent’s Ben Kamm has done great service to people and the planet through his preservation efforts. Hands-on practitioners like Ben have done more to protect plant diversity than all the governments in the world... Now is the time to step up and support this work!”
—David Theodoropoulos, Conservationist, Seedsman, Director of J.L. Hudson Seeds since 1973

“Sacred Succulents is... a preserve and repository of many rare species... It is also the lifelong passion project of ethnobotanist Ben Kamm, who has devoted decades to locating, preserving, propagating and distributing rare species... This fine work is not supported by an institution, or any pool of wealth. It is supported by independent folks who care about preserving biodiversity, and the continuity of knowledge that must attend these species. A donation to help Sacred Succulents upgrade their facility is a vote for carrying these plants and our knowledge of them into the future.”
—Kat Harrison, Ethnobotanist, Co-Founder and Director of Botanical Dimensions

“It’s often passionate individuals that are responsible for stewardship of biodiversity and Ben has dedicated his life’s work to sacred succulent diversity. Contribute your support to keep this treasured living collection alive.”
—Susan Leopold, Ph.D., Director of United Plant Savers

“In the effort to conserve biological elements of Andean culture and fragile ecosystems, Sacred Succulents is on the cutting edge... This work deserves the same level of funding and support that the moon landing and green revolution received. Please help this work continue!”
—Neil Logan Ethnobotanist, Agroforester, Author of Legacy Legumes: Trees of Renewal and Abundance

“Yule is a time of giving, which includes spreading some philanthropy around. This season, I urge you to consider throwing some of that love towards Sacred Succulents... headed up by the brilliant and passionate plant-man Ben Kamm. Sacred Succulents is, without doubt, the premier nursery for Trichocereus cactus offerings. But the outfit is also dedicated to the preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge and rare and endangered plants. Ben is a fiercely DIY guy, and I am amazed at his independent efforts to sustain his mail-order nursery, public-access seed bank, and research gardens... But Ben’s nursery and gardens now need some serious renovation work. In the immortal words of the Lorax, ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better — it’s not.’ ”
—Erik Davis, Cultural Historian, Author of Techgnosis, High Weirdness, The Visionary State, etc.

“Ben Kamm’s tireless work to cultivate and conserve rare succulents and other valuable plant species is unparalleled. Supporting this effort to recover and steward these critically important genetics will increase the resilience and persistence of this biodiversity reservoir for generations to come.”
—Kate Lundquist, WATER Institute Director, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

I've found this to be a fabulous resource and managed to scrounge up a free online copy, many techniques I had never heard of before and species that each technique works with listed alongside each method. Pictures accompany the methodologies as well



https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Culture/Arbres-Fruitiers/graines&plantations/Plants_Propagation.pdf

I finally got a chance to try a few more of these fruit- I wanted to hold off before writing a review because I thought the few samples I had might be of poor quality

These things suck- the flavor is good- like a lemon mango- but they are literally all seed and string, admitedly they can grow places mangoes can't but it would take forever to collect and process enough fruits to have a good amount of them

If someone could make a cultivar with a better flesh to seed ratio I would be all in-

Hey All-

I am selling some seeds imported form Peru as were mostly described on my other post here- https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=59825.0

Prices and seed amounts are posted below- shipping will be $5 for a padded envelope and $12 for a small priority box

Annona muricata "Giant" - $5 for 5 seeds
Annona cherimola - $5 for 5 seeds
Corryocactus spp. "Sanky" - $5 for 3 seeds
Eugenia uniflora "Cantuta" - $2 per seed
Eriobotyra japonica "Cantuta" - $1 per seed
Mammea americana - $7 per seed
Mauritia flexuosa - $12 per seed
Myrciaria dubia "Green Skin" - $6 per seed GERMINATED
Myrciaria dubia "Red Skin" - $8 per seed GERMINATED
Myrciaria dubia "Red Skin Red Pulp" - $10 per seed GERMINATED
Opuntia spp. "Mixed Colors" - $5 for 5 seeds
Passiflora spp. "Granadilla" - $5 per 5 seeds
Passiflora spp. "Giant Maracuya" - $5 per 3 seeds
Passiflora spp. "Tumbo" - $5 per 3 seeds
Pouteria lucuma "Dry" - $10 per seed
Pouteria lucuma "Moist" - $15 per seed
Pouteria lucuma "de Bico" - $50 per seed
Pouteria lucuma "UNALM Golden" - $100 per seed
Psidium spp. "Amarillo" - $5 for 5 seeds GERMINATED
Psidium spp. "Rojo" - $5 for 5 seeds GERMINATED
Solanum betaceum "Sachatomate" - $5 for 5 seeds
Solanum sessiliflorum "Cocona" - $5 for 5 seeds
Solanum quitoense "Lulo" - $5 for 3 seeds

Vegetables-
Capsicum spp. "Aji amarillo" - $5 for 3 seeds
Capsicum spp. "Rocoto" - $5 for 3 seeds

Cheers,

Hey All,

Going to O'ahu in November, unfortunately its for work so not a lot of time to get around and do things but would love some recommendations for what to do while I am there

Cheers

Hey all,

I sourced seeds for this from Raul ~1.5 years ago from here- https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=53335.0

I can't remember if I ended up selling or distributing some of the other seedlings but now I only have 1 left-

Its growing at a glacial pace for me but seems quite happy otherwise-

wondering if I am doing something wrong, but all the classic indicators are missing (browning on new or old growth, reaching for light etc.)

Hopefully someone has tips- or at least can let me know if they are growing this so I can trade pollen if necessary down the road

The suspect-

Hey All-

My life has finally gotten cleared up enough to do another seedling sale- If anyone wants to pick up semi-locally please let me know, you'll be given preference to listings here and I have some larger plants I can also sell that I'd rather not ship that I'm not Listing

$30 Minimum to Ship

Heres the short list of whats for sale- find descriptions and REPRESENTATIVE pictures after

Plants-

Euclea crispa - “Blue Guarri” - $20 each - 5x
Euclea racemosa - $15 each - 5x
Jaltomata cajacayensis - “Musho” - $25 each - 3x
Myrica rubra - “Yangmei” - Seedlings (Not Grafted) -
    Eastern Giant $70 - 1x
    Purple Pearl $60 each - 6x 5x
    Sweet Violet $60 each - 10x 8x
Physalis angulata - “Mullaca” - $15 each - 5x
Physalis pubescens - “Ground Cherry” - $15 each - 6x
Saurauia angustifolia - $20 each - 4x

Seeds-
Passiflora tripartata - 10 seeds $5
Passiflora sp. - 10 seeds $4

Euclea crispa - “Blue Guarri”
Euclea crispa can be an evergreen shrub or small bushy tree growing up to 8 metres tall with a bole 5 - 15cm in diameter. At times it can be a rhizomatous suffrutex or virgate shrub growing 30 - 300cm tall. The edible fruit and leaves are sometimes harvested from the wild for local use.
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required. Fruit - raw. Pleasantly sweet, they are chewed as a nibble. Leaves.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-08-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Euclea%20crispa>

$20 each - 5x

Euclea racemosa
Euclea racemosa is an evergreen, densely branched plant that ranges in habit from a small shrub 1.8 - 2.7 metres tall, to a moderate-sized tree that can be 12 metres tall.
The tree is harvested from the wild for a range of local uses including food, medicine and timber. It is also grown as a hedge and planted in soil conservation and reforestation projects.
Edible fruit. The fruit is less than 1cm in diameter, it contains a single large seed surrounding a thin flesh. The roots are purgative.

Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2025-06-22. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Euclea+racemosa>

$15 each - 5x

Jaltomata cajacayensis - “Musho”
Native to the peruvian andes above the frost zone. This small but potently flavored berry is what i consider the best tasting of the jaltomata species ive tried. Cream and mandarins i would describe it. Small bush produces abundant crops of orange fruits. Plants perrenial to at least lower zone 9, possibly colder.

Text sourced from raindanceseeds.com

$25 each - 3x

Myrica rubra - “Yangmei”
Morella rubra is an evergreen shrub or tree growing up to 15 metres tall with a bole up to 60cm in diameter. The plant is commonly cultivated for its edible fruit in parts of Asia. It also has medicinal properties and is the source of a yellow dye.
Morella rubra is cultivated for its fruit from the warm temperate zone to the tropics. It is not very cold tolerant in cooler regions of the temperate zone, though it is said to succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain. Another report says that it only succeeds outdoors in zone 10 and does not tolerate frosts. Plants succeed outdoors in Japan as far north as Tokyo, but it is difficult to get them to fruit there.
Prefers a moist soil. Grows well in an open position in a well-drained soil in sun or light shade. Thrives in any ordinary garden soil. Prefers a lime-free loamy or peaty soil.
This plant has been recommended for improvement by selection and breeding for its edible fruit.
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Many species in this genus have a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Fruit - edible raw or cooked. Succulent and aromatic, it has an agreeable sub-acid taste. Juicy, sweetish and sour according to another report. The fruit soon rots so it is difficult to grow commercially because of the problems of getting it to market in good condition. The dark red to purple-red, globose fruit is around 10 - 15mm in diameter in the wild, but up to 30mm in cultivation. The seed is said to be edible. This report is likely to refer to the Coniferus species, Nageia nagi (Thunb.) Kuntze, which was originally wrongly assigned to this genus.

The stem and stem bark are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.
The stem bark is used as a wash in the treatment of arsenic poisoning, skin diseases, wounds and ulcers. The fruit is carminative, pectoral and stomachic. The seed is used in the treatment of sweaty feet. The plant is used in the treatment of cholera, heart ailments and stomach diseases.
The stems and stem bark contain various medicinally active compounds that have cytotoxic properties and are of potential use in the treatment of cancer. The plant has also been shown to have antioxidant and antiviral (against influenza) activity.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Barely cover the seed and keep it moist. Stored seed germinates more freely if given a 3 month cold stratification and then sown. Germination is usually good. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out when large enough. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel in a frame. Fair to good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood in a frame. Layering. Division of suckers. Plant them out direct into their permanent positions.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2025-06-22. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Morella+rubra&redir=Myrica+rubra>

These are named seedlings from the fruits I bought last year, they probably won't grow true to seed

Eastern Giant $70 - 1x

Purple Pearl $60 each - 6x

Sweet Violet $60 each - 10x


Physalis angulata - “Mullaca”
Edible fruit - raw or cooked. Juicy and sub-acid. The round fruit is green at maturity, around 10 - 15mm in diameter with numerous small seeds. The fruit is up to 30mm in diameter. The plant conveniently wraps up each fruit in its own 'paper bag' (botanically, the calyx) to protect it from pests and the elements. This calyx is toxic and should not be eaten.
The following reports about the fruit were listed under Physalis minima L., which is now considered to be a synonym of Physalis angulate.
Edible fruit - cooked. Tastes like a cherry tomato. Scarcely worthwhile. Juicy, mildly astringent and sweet with a pleasant blend of acid, the overall quality is good. The unripe fruit can be cooked as a vegetable. The fruit is about 1.5cm in diameter. It contains about 6% sugars, 2.7% protein, 1.2% ash, 0.6% tannin and 0.5% pectin. A good quantity of vitamin C. about 24.5mg per 100ml of juice. The fruit is formed and ripens consecutively over a long period. Average yields from a plant covering 2.5 square metres are about 545g.

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb. A bitter flavour. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

The plant is diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge. The leaves have been used to treat stomach disorders and Bright's Disease. The plant is used in the Pacific Islands to facilitate childbirth; to treat infertility in women and dengue fever. The root is febrifuge and vermifuge. An extract of the root is taken for fevers, whilst the root is chewed to act as a vermifuge. A decoction of the roots is drunk to treat hypertension and diabetes. The roots are chewed and applied as a poultice to the lower abdomen in order to reduce pain. The fruit is said to be alterative, analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, appetizer, bitter, diuretic, laxative, sedative and tonic. (As Physalis minima) The seeds are cooked with Phyllanthus amarus seeds in a preparation given to women after childbirth.

The leaves are analgesic, diuretic, parasiticide and relaxant. They are eaten, or applied as an enema, in order to cure stomach-ache, colic, lithiasis and anuria. Added to palm wine, they are used to cure fever and to calm attacks of asthma, vomiting and diarrhoea. Sleeping sickness is treated with a mixture of the leaves combined with those of Anchomanes difformis.
The leaves are used externally to treat a wide range of skin ailments such as itch, smallpox pustules, whitlow lesions, infected scarification wounds and rheumatic pain, and to relieve muscular stiffness and pain. The pounded leaves are used as a remedy for headache and itches. The juice of the leaves, mixed with mustard oil and water, has been used as a remedy for earache. The leaves are also applied to Guinea worm sores, killing the worms and easing extraction. A lotion prepared from the leaves is applied to treat ophthalmia in children.

Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2025-06-22. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Physalis+angulata>


$15 each - 5x

Physalis pubescens - “Ground Cherry”
Fruit - raw or cooked in pies, preserves etc. A delicious bitter sweet flavour. The fruit falls from the plant before it is fully ripe and should be left for a week or two until the husk has dried and the fruit has turned a golden-yellow. Delightful when fully ripe. When dried in sugar, the fruit is excellent in fruit cakes, some cooks preferring them to raisins or figs. Yields up to 0.5 kilo per plant. The plant conveniently wraps up each fruit in its own 'paper bag' (botanically, the calyx) to protect it from pests and the elements. This calyx is toxic and should not be eaten. The fruit will store for several weeks if left in the calyx. The fruit is a berry about 15mm in diameter.

Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2025-06-22. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Physalis%20pubescens>


$15 each - 6x

Saurauia angustifolia
A Saurauia, native to southern Mexico and parts of Central America. Similar to S. madrensis, it bears small, light green fruits, with sticky, sweet smelling, translucent pulp. Little information exists about this species, but it appears frost hardy to several degrees below freezing. Does well in cooler, subtropical zones. Medium to large sized tree featuring long, ornate leaves with red veins.
Text sourced from tradewindsfruit.com

I have eaten these fruits and they are quite good- like grape sized gelatinous Kiwi

$20 each - 4x

anyone tried this website?

good experience? bad experience?

Hey all,

Found another interesting specimen on my strolls, this was actually in a nursery here but I have never seen one before- Butia x Jubaea they wantd 7k for the mature specimen below but no one had a problem with me picking the fruits-
 




The description said - "Shows hybrid vigor, speedier than both parents, tolerates varied climates. 15-30ft mature. Sunset zones 7-24. Exposure part shade to full sun. Tolerates- Coast, Cold, Cool Summers, Drought, Deer, Fog, Heat, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Salt, Wind." which sounds like a winner on all fronts.

The problem is there is very little information online about this hybrid or its edibility that said I ate the fruit and didnt die. They were quite tasty, like a good Butia fruit but with a much smaller seed and something a bit more tannic, the fruits are also red instead of the standard yellow/orange









The seeds might also be edible as with Jubaea, but I didn't eat any because I want to sell/trade some over of the other subsection of the forum.

Anyone have more info on this cool hybrid?

I can probably go collect more fruit if there is a lot of interest in seed, right now I probably have 10 to spare at most

has anyone used this vendor before?

good experience? bad experience?

Any suggestions for growing Longan in ground in Houston?

I know of some fruiting trees that were around before the recent spate of freezes we had- I'm wondering if a more cold hardy variety would do well here

I have put a few in the ground, one is still alive but doesnt seem to be thriving, I killed the other with a mild application of fertilizer (which I am guessing is a no-no)

Cheers all

Reviving this discussion as my interest is revived-

Some interesting plants I have gotten into recently but don't see getting much discussion on here is Neotropical blueberries and particularly the Agapetes, Cavendishia, and Macleania genus

As an epiphyte you can always do some really cool stump-pots with them though, or add another growing layer to the greenhouse in the tops of your trees

I recently have seen some stunning specimens around the Bay Area

Agapetes sp. "Bhutan"





Agapetes manii




Macleania benthiamiana


Macleania spp.


Cavendishia spp. - the fruits on this were quite good, good sized but the skin was thick and tannic











Macleania spp.










I used to own all these -

Agapetes oblonga  “Yunnan Huckleberry”
Rare larger species 3–10′ tall. Fuzzy stems, oblong-lanceolate leaves. New growth is lustful pink-red. Develops a large woody caudex to 20″+. Very floriferous with tubular carmine-red flowers borne along the stems. Sweet edible berries, translucent white-pink with tiny hairs. Epiphytic in the evergreen forests of Yunnan, China up to 9000′. Surface sow the seed and keep warm to sprout. Z8b/9a? Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com




Agapetes serpens  “Khursani” “Himalayan Lantern Huckleberry”
Epiphytic evergreen shrub to 2–3’+. Graceful arching braches arising from a woody caudex to 18″+. Shocking rose-red lantern-like flowers dangle from the branches, a flamboyant display that appeals equally to hummingbirds and primates. Lavender colored sweet edible berries. Native to the Himalayan mid elevation cloud forests, up to about 9,000′. The caudex of some species is edible. Prefers part shade, well draining acid soil and regular moisture. Fruits best when cross pollinated with another clone or species. Rooted cuttings. Z8b. Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com



Agapetes ‘Ludgvan’s Cross’   “Himalayan Huckleberry Hybrid”
A hybrid of A. serpens and A. rugosa, forming a 3–4’+ shrub.  2–3″ pointed leaves and eventually deveolops a gnarled woody caudex. Pale-pink lantern flowers with deep rose chevron markings are borne in mass along the stems, a sight to see! Weird, marble size, translucent white-pink to purple edible berries. Hummingbirds love Agapetes. Part shade, well draining acid soil. Rooted cuttings. Z8b Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com




Agapetes aff. cauliflora SEH27042 “Vietnamese Huckleberry”
Ericaceae. Evergreen caudiciform with long arching branches to 3’+ . Hairy stems and lanceolate evergreen leaves, blue-green when young. Clusters of white tubular flowers with green tips, red edible berries. Native to the cloud forests of Vietnam. May be intermediate to the larger growing A. malipoensis. Our first offering of this rare species. Rooted cutting. Z8/9?
Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com

Agapetes hosseana “Saphaolom” “Thai Huckleberry”
Ericaceae. A lovely blueberry relative that forms large woody caudiciform lignotubers. Arching branches to 3'+ with shiny, rounded-elliptic, evergreen
leaves. Clusters of pendant, narrow tubular red flowers with green tips. Sweet edible berries, white to pale pink with lavender speckles. An epiphytic
species native to the mountain forests of northern Thailand. The lignotubers are used in Thai medicine for nourishment after a fever. The tubers have
exhibited anticancer poperties. The plant contains triterpenes and steroidal compounds with antibacterial and antimalarial activity. Part shade and a fast
draining acidic soil. Does well in hanging baskets. Surface sow seeds warm. Z9a
Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com

Agapetes smithiana v. major “Yellow Flowered Himalayan Huckleberry”
Woody caudiciform lignotubers, long arching branches with rounded leaves. Dark yellow tubular flowers hang from the stems in clusters. Edible berries.
An beautiful endangered native of the mid elevation cloud forests of the western Himalaya where it occurs primarily as an epiphyte. Well draining acidic
soil, part shade. Rooted cuttings.Z8b/9a
Text sourced from sacredsucculents.com

but lost them to the insane weather in Texas over the last few years-



Macleania smithiana HBG89922 cl. F  “Femu-piu-tape”
Ericaceae. Evergreen shrub to 6’. Forms a large caudiciform lignotuber with age. Dark green to bluish-gray leaves, ovate to elliptical. Clusters of tubular flowers pinkish to red in color, white edible berries. One of the more tropical species from the wet forests of Panama, Columbia and Ecuador. Used for snakebite. More tolerant of heat and less tolerant of cold than others. Rooted cutting. Z10a/b

It is a beautiful plant with red new growth-





And I lost this one to the cold we California winter last year when I was trying to zone push it.

I was strolling around SFBG this weekend in the Chile/New Zealand Area and found an interesting Syzygium tree








The fruits taste very similar to Syzygium smithii and are about the same size but the growth habit is completely different, this one is like a large hedge

Anyone got any idea what it is? I always thought these fruit were a nice novelty but the poor flesh to seed ratio and gigantic size of the S. smithii tree is a no-go for me