Author Topic: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?  (Read 2284 times)

Pouteria_fan

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Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« on: December 10, 2022, 01:45:24 AM »
We have an old magnolia tree that is on its last legs. It's in our front yard, and my wife would like to replace it with a crepe myrtle, in our zone 9B Southern California area. Her choice is mostly based on the aesthetics with having green leaves and colorful flowers in the summer.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a fruit tree that would tolerate our climate, has to survive significant sun exposure, be evergreen, and have a bit of curbside colorful aesthetics for the summer or springas an alternative?

pinkturtle

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2022, 02:37:52 AM »
Pomegranate, but it is not evergreen.  It drops all the leaves during winter.
Nevermind, you are looking for myrtle.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2022, 02:39:37 AM by pinkturtle »

pagnr

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2022, 06:46:17 AM »
Quince, Cydonia oblogna has a beautiful trunk and branches. It is winter deciduous and has nice foliage and flowers too.
The Giant Japonica or Chinese Quince, Pseudocydonia sinensis, is similar to above, with attractive bark, maybe a bit closer to Crepe Myrtle than Quince.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=pseudocydonia+sinensis&sxsrf=ALiCzsbbr_ULzxaDGoZ-SYksRD9VUBiILg:1670672477537&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi1ybz8--77AhUV8DgGHbctDTAQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1680&bih=989&dpr=1

Neither are evergreen, but the bare trunks are attractive, foliage flowers and fruit follow, and are also a nice display.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2022, 06:49:34 AM by pagnr »

tru

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2022, 07:44:51 AM »
for a fruit tree I immediately think of loquat, for colors/aesthetic I'd say plumeria (but its not a fruit tree)
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Galatians522

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2022, 09:01:28 AM »
Feijoa has beautiful silver green foliage and pink flowers. Its used as an ornamental quite a bit in California from what I understand. You would need a self fertile one to get fruit. Maybe she would like that.

Oolie

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2022, 02:22:39 PM »
Strawberry tree is probably the closest, but it doesn't go dormant like the crepe myrtle.

Persimmon can be awful pretty, and does go dormant, with some varieties putting on a color show at onset of dormancy.

Acerola isn't the most pretty tree, but always has blooms.


johnb51

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2022, 02:30:50 PM »
for a fruit tree I immediately think of loquat, for colors/aesthetic I'd say plumeria (but its not a fruit tree)
Yeah, loquat would be a great choice.  But it doesn't blossom in the summer.
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Oolie

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2022, 03:06:42 PM »
It's a slow grower and the blooms are less prominent and mainly present in the springtime, but Cherry of the Rio Grande is pretty. Any kind of Syzigium may fit the bill as well.

bussone

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2022, 03:28:45 PM »
Summer-flowering is tough. A hibiscus/rose of Sharon? How big of a tree are you looking for?

tru

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2022, 03:34:03 PM »
for a fruit tree I immediately think of loquat, for colors/aesthetic I'd say plumeria (but its not a fruit tree)
Yeah, loquat would be a great choice.  But it doesn't blossom in the summer.

yeah hmm. honestly I like looking at loquat with all the fruit on it, I had a ready-to-harvest tree in mind for summer

I still vote plumeria because of how beautiful they are and timing wise is perfect, early summer all the way to fall, you can even graft different colored flowers onto the same tree and get some REALLY cool looking stuff. but alas no fruit : (. You'd have to get the Obtusa too, most varieties have a dormancy period
« Last Edit: December 10, 2022, 03:37:38 PM by tru »
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tru

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2022, 03:42:36 PM »
how about a jelly palm? blooms in the summer, imo great/incredible fruit, lots of them, looks beautiful, very interesting as you pass by, and survives down to 5-10F

downside is not very pretty flowers, and nothing like a crepe myrtle but I really love the look of these structurally and with fruit on them
« Last Edit: December 10, 2022, 03:45:40 PM by tru »
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roblack

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2022, 06:21:50 PM »
Crepe myrtle has exfoliating bark when mature. Large jabos come to mind. Not a fruit tree, but rainbow eucalyptus rules in terms of funky bark

« Last Edit: December 10, 2022, 06:24:11 PM by roblack »

Nick C

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2022, 07:50:23 PM »
luma apiculata

RS

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2022, 09:13:47 AM »
Rainforest plum has the same peeling bark as crepe myrtle, and can be gorgeous when flowering. Here's a short video showing the flowers/fruit: https://v-cg.etsystatic.com/video/upload/ac_none,du_15,q_auto:good/7F335005-B320-4182-945B-5E99850CD00F_2_0_a_tuzjgz.mp4

johnb51

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2022, 04:38:21 PM »
Do a poll. ;D
John

elouicious

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2022, 01:08:58 AM »
Unless I'm mistaken-

Crepe Myrtle is a fruit tree....

The Italians make a delicious liqour called mirto out of it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirto_(liqueur)

bussone

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2022, 08:18:56 AM »
Unless I'm mistaken-

Crepe Myrtle is a fruit tree....

The Italians make a delicious liqour called mirto out of it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirto_(liqueur)

Mirto is made from true Myrtle, which is a different genus that crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia).

Pouteria_fan

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2022, 02:03:44 PM »
Thank you, everyone!  Very helpful.  I think we will go with the strawberry tree that was mentioned.  From my research, looks like it will totally thrive in our climate, and we recently saw 1 at a park nearby that was loaded with fruit + flowers and was very visually pleasing. Double bonus as fruit is edible.

Thanks, all!

https://sactree.org/trees/strawberry-tree/
https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Strawberry_Tree_10303.php

Victoria Ave

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #18 on: December 12, 2022, 02:15:51 PM »
The strawberry tree does not make a great fruit. Do a strawberry guava, the fruit is MUCH better the bark is very attractive and makes an architectural tree. A great landscape tree with pretty alright fruit that does well here

Oolie

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2022, 02:55:06 PM »
I like the taste of it, but it does vary greatly tree to tree. It's subsistence fruit, a bit gritty like a pear. It's a snack.

pagnr

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2022, 02:56:15 PM »
The strawberry tree does not make a great fruit.

We have some older Irish Strawberry trees Arbutus unedo in parks around here. I find the fruit quite pleasant. Yes, it is no match for the top Tropical fruit varieties, but still nice.
There are other species too, Mexican and Japanese. There are a bunch of species in Mexico and S W USA. Not sure if these are as nice for fruit as A.unedo.

Victoria Ave

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #21 on: December 12, 2022, 05:24:16 PM »
Perhaps I’ve never had a good one, but I’ve never had one that I thought was anything special. Subsistence seems a good description. I don’t particularly like the arborist unedo as a landscape tree, but the arbutus ‘marina’ is a killer specimen! But I don’t think the fruit are worth eating.

johnb51

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #22 on: December 12, 2022, 06:34:38 PM »
Oops, sorry.  I was thinking of Mutingia calabura, a truly awful tree, also called "strawberry tree."
« Last Edit: December 13, 2022, 10:24:17 AM by johnb51 »
John

CeeJey

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #23 on: December 16, 2022, 05:18:00 PM »
Oops, sorry.  I was thinking of Mutingia calabura, a truly awful tree, also called "strawberry tree."

Aww what's wrong with Mutingia Calabura? They have pretty white flowers. (I know they can be invasive in some places but they're not invasive everywhere).

CarolinaZone

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #24 on: December 17, 2022, 11:52:27 AM »
Pomegranate, but it is not evergreen.  It drops all the leaves during winter.
Nevermind, you are looking for myrtle.
How about this? Graft pomegranate onto your crepe myrtle. Yeah man. It's a thing. I found our about in on the https://growingfruit.org/ forum. I grafted a tiny branch to a mature crepe myrtle. It pushed growth and seems fine. I grafted late in the year so we will see what it does in the spring.

Galatians522

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #25 on: December 17, 2022, 07:46:13 PM »
Pomegranate, but it is not evergreen.  It drops all the leaves during winter.
Nevermind, you are looking for myrtle.
How about this? Graft pomegranate onto your crepe myrtle. Yeah man. It's a thing. I found our about in on the https://growingfruit.org/ forum. I grafted a tiny branch to a mature crepe myrtle. It pushed growth and seems fine. I grafted late in the year so we will see what it does in the spring.

You have done this graft yourself and its still alive!? That would be one of the most remarkable combinations that I have ever heard of.

CarolinaZone

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #26 on: December 18, 2022, 07:53:19 AM »
I did it this summer. It is defoliated right now. I will not know about the graft success until the spring. There are some pictures of a person who has some more mature grafts on growingfruit. If you do a search on google and you can find the pics.

Galatians522

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #27 on: December 18, 2022, 01:13:36 PM »
I did it this summer. It is defoliated right now. I will not know about the graft success until the spring. There are some pictures of a person who has some more mature grafts on growingfruit. If you do a search on google and you can find the pics.

I did search. I'm guessing that this will not be a long term success, but am blown away that it has lasted this long.

pagnr

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #28 on: December 18, 2022, 01:54:17 PM »
I wasn't  aware they were related till this post. Both in the Lythraceae.

Edible crops include the pomegranate (Punica granatum) and the water caltrop (Trapa bicornis or T. natans). The pomegranate is cultivated for the fleshy arils surrounding the seeds, and the water caltrop for its seeds. Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is cultivated for the dye of the same name, derived from its leaves.

Ornamentals are grown from a number of genera, including Cuphea, Lagerstroemia (crape myrtles), and Lythrum (loosestrifes).

Tortuga

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Re: Fruit tree with crepe myrtle - like curb appeal?
« Reply #29 on: December 24, 2022, 10:47:07 AM »
I think pomegranate make great ornamental trees. I use them to plant in HOAs.

Someone said A jelly palm which is a good idea. They have almost no maintenance. The fruit is heavy bearing and delicious

Eucalyptus species have great smell and good looking bark and overall tree shape