Trying to find a Tamarillo tree

[toadshade]

I live in Atlanta and I am just starting to stock my brand new greenhouse.  Growing up, my mom would occasionally come home with some Tamarillos and ever since, I thought it would be great to grow one.  I rarely if ever see them in the stores, so I haven't had one in many years.  (I still have no idea how my mom got her hands on them in Connecticut in the '70s).  But I am looking for one now and I have not found a place that sells the trees.  I have found a few sites, but as with a lot of unique trees, they are either sold out or not available.  I would grow one from seed, but not only am I too impatient to wait for a tree big enough, I cannot even find one to get the seeds!

[Kevin Jones]

Years ago I grew several from seed.
After they got larger we discovered the terrible smell that resulted from brushing against the leaves.
My wife nicknamed them the PEE TREES because of the strong-rank Urine smell they emitted.
Sticks to your hands and clothes...

Kevin

[toadshade]

Oh no!  Thanks for the tip!  I have to really consider if I am willing to risk that.

[NateTheGreat]

I say just grow seeds. They're available on eBay. I'm guessing the plants don't ship well. Should fruit next year if you start now. I just started some naranjilla, rocoto pepper, and dwarf tamarillo seeds from tradewinds, got good germination with no special treatement. Just soak for a day then into pots just below the soil surface. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Cyphomandra+betacea+seeds&_sacat=0&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=15

[Fygee]

You can get either seeds or a 1 gallon potted plant from here.

Looks like they just went out of stock on the 1 gallon (I just bought one last week), but they will probably restock fairly soon.

https://www.wanderlustnursery.com/shop/products/p/tamarillo?rq=tomato

Lots of other neat plants there too.

[socalbalcony]

Baker's creek has dwarf tamarillo seeds in stock still: https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/garden-berries/dwarf-tamarillo

[Giannhs]

Hi, i have grown Cyphomandra Corymbiflora from seed, it grows big but the fruit is not really interesting, it is the size of olive with the taste of cooked eggplant.
Then i bought two little trees from Belgium https://www.andrewsgarden.be/en/special-plants/tamarillo-hybride-cyphomandra-betacea/a-680-35 it is orange color fruited, the leaves are big and glorious and the flowers have a lovable scent, the fruits ripen further if kept after fallen unripe.
I have tried to grow https://www.tradewindsfruit.com/cyphomandra-sibundoyensis-forest-tamarillo-seeds the seeds sprout easily, but no seedlings survived.
Also i bought Casana (cyphomandra cajanumensis) from New Zeland, https://www.edible.co.nz/ all the seeds sprouted, but no seedling survived the winter. Most of them died because they needed a sunny position, protected from animals and insects, also protect from snow during their first year.
So far, only betacea has been satisfactory, but try your luck also with sibundoyensis, it makes quite a bigger fruit that commercial tamarillo (betacea).
All these kinds are easy to grow if you apply basic common sense and wonderful when you see them growing adult, and they all survive a few degrees below freezing after their first year; so  persevere and i m sure you will succeed. Note, the snow may leave them bare branches with tips "burnt off" but they regrow glorious!

[Plantinyum]

Years ago I grew several from seed.
After they got larger we discovered the terrible smell that issued from brushing against the leaves.
My wife nicknamed them the PEE TREES because of the strong-rank Urine smell they emitted.
Sticks to your hands and clothes...

Kevin

I have 4 plants, 2 of which are like small trees ,arround 2+ meters high and flowering now heavily.
For the smell ,I have also heard in the past that ist kinda cat urine or something, personally it doesnt bother me but I guess there are people who are more sensitive to it. Also with my plants the smell is only noticeable when you rub the leaves, I dunno if it depends on the variety of tamarillo.  I know there are two variants of it one qith a red fruit and the other with an orange/ yellowish one, if I am not mistaken my plants are from the latter type , they are around 2 and a half y/o.

I live in Atlanta and I am just starting to stock my brand new greenhouse.  Growing up, my mom would occasionally come home with some Tamarillos and ever since, I thought it would be great to grow one.  I rarely if ever see them in the stores, so I haven't had one in many years.  (I still have no idea how my mom got her hands on them in Connecticut in the '70s).  But I am looking for one now and I have not found a place that sells the trees.  I have found a few sites, but as with a lot of unique trees, they are either sold out or not available.  I would grow one from seed, but not only am I too impatient to wait for a tree big enough, I cannot even find one to get the seeds!

I think if the fresh fruit is not an option for getting to the seeds, next would be an reputable online seed seller. If u grow them from seed, they flower in the second summer, at leas mine did so. They grow really fast and like alot of nitrogen, I think if youre, planting them in the greenhouse, they will grow faster for u. If u really want them bad, just get the seeds and grow those, this may be the only variant...

[Daintree]

I love my stinky, sticky-leaved tamarillo tree.  My sister calls it "creosote tree" because it smells like road tar.  The sticky leaves attract fungus gnats, who commit suicide on them in massive numbers.  It makes me wonder if it is partially carnivorous...

Carolyn

[toadshade]

Giannhs that would be great but I doubt I would be able to get that plant from Belgium to the USA.  Too bad though.  Sounds like a good plant.  I just ordered some seeds so we will find out soon.  Interesting different opinions on the characteristics of the tree.  I suppose I am going to have to find out what my opinion will be.  I do know that I have a hard time even being in a house with a cat so I am hoping more for the tar thing (?).  As an experiment and seeds are pretty cheap, I am going to try some sibundoyensis if I can find some.  They are out of stock at the website you referenced.  Looks like they are the yellow ones.  Sounds like the yellow variety are the less tart ones. I need to do a little research but I would want to go out of my way to get as much of that super tart flavor as I can find. 

[Giannhs]

it is ridiculous to search for it in Belgium or Europe, America is the richest place in plants. Me living in Greece i can only get plants from Europe, that is mostly Italy and Holland. Don't worry, only persevere, tamarillos are easy plants to grow. I know sibundoyensis is not currently available at tradewindsfruit, but just keep watching that site, it is a reliable site, they only sell live and viable seeds, i buy from them since years and i can give my word for them. Of course, there are nurseries too selling living plants in America, countless times i have found plants sold on line by American nurseries but i was disappointed because normally they do not send plants overseas. For me you sound like the Chinese proverb "holding a lantern and searching for fire". Persevere for three years to have tamarillos in your place, it will reward you, betacea's flowers are so lovely scented! By the way, have you seen huertasurbanas in this forum? Based in Argentina, he sells many good seeds, i recommend his annonaceae.

[toadshade]

have you seen huertasurbanas in this forum? Based in Argentina, he sells many good seeds, i recommend his annonaceae.

Thanks for the tip.  I will look for the contact. 

Using a lantern to search for fire.  That is a new one.  I like it.  I suppose it is the same as seeing the forest through the trees.

[Kevin Jones]

I just checked ebay.... Go there... type in Tree tomato... and you will find dozens of sources.

Good Luck!

Kevin

[toadshade]

Yep thanks!

[sumtingwong]

https://onegreenworld.com/product/tree-tomato/

[Jamesther]

https://queenoftheamazon.squarespace.com/

[toadshade]

Great links. I don't even know what most of the fruits are on the Queen of the Amazon site.  But good variety of different Tamarillos.  Thanks a lot.

[socalbalcony]

Great links. I don't even know what most of the fruits are on the Queen of the Amazon site.  But good variety of different Tamarillos.  Thanks a lot.

I can vouch for Brian's product, he is like a modern day David Fairchild, good seeds!