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Topics - elouicious

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Any Info on Clavija euerganea?

« on: March 11, 2023, 11:21:26 PM »

Bought a seed in October of last year and it just sprouted-

I got the seed from tradewinds

An interesting rain forest tree, with bright orange, round fruits having orange pulp that looks like marmalade. The fruits grow to about an inch in diameter. Little information is available about this species. The fruits could be edible, as several other Clavija species have edible fruits, but care should always be taken with unknown fruits. Native to mid-elevation tropical forests in South America. Short, bushy growth to 6-12 ft / 3-4 m.

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Aerogarden Aguaymanto (Physalis peruviana)

« on: March 05, 2023, 12:17:06 AM »

Hey All-

So I found an Aerogarden for cheap recently, and in the interest of upping my greens consumption I decided to buy it-

I noticed that people often grow tomatoes in these and since I had a bunch of extra aguaymanto sprouts I thought I would give it a shot-

Here are 2 of them-

Has anyone ever tried this before? any other interesting species to try in here?

Also anyone have any good greens recommendations other than arugula and mizuna?

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Syzygium australe Seedling for sale $30

« on: February 19, 2023, 11:57:03 PM »

Hey All-

I've got one seedling of Syzygium australe for sale, $30 plus shipping

I also have seeds for $3 a pop

Description of the plant

Syzygium australe - “Brush Cherry”
Brush cherry is an evergreen shrub or small tree with flaky bark. It can reach heights of 20 metres or more in the wild, but is more likely to be in the range of 8 - 10 metres with a short, crooked bole, especially in cultivation.
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for its wood and edible fruit, and is also often grown as an ornamental and as a hedge. It is sometimes grown in gardens for its edible fruit.
A tree of warm temperate and subtropical climates, just reaching into tropical areas. It is tolerant of occasional, light frosts.. Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade. Prefers rich soils and assured moisture. Succeeds in most soils. Several named forms have been developed for ornamental purposes, including some compact forms that grow no larger than 2 metres.
Fruit - raw or made into jellies. Crisp and juicy, it ranges in flavour from delicious to mediocre. The reddish-pink to red, obovoid fruit is about 15 - 25 mm long and 15 mm in diameter, with a large seed.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2023-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Syzygium+australe>

link to my taste report-

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=49541.msg477419#msg477419

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Plants that Survived 18f (AKA an Ad for huertasurbanas)

« on: February 17, 2023, 08:01:48 PM »

Hey All-

I finally had a chance to go check things out in Texas and repair the irrigation system etc.

While I was heartbroken to see so many plants die I was glad that I had put the Tropical stuff down in key west, and given my Garcinia collection to NissanVersa who was able to take care of them.

What is probably of most interest to the zone pushers on here is what survived though!

Salpichroa origanifolia - "Cock’s Eggs” sourced from huertasurbanas
Salpichroa origanifolia is a very fast-growing, perennial, climbing plant with somewhat woody stems. Although the fruits have a poor flavour raw, they are often gathered from the wild for use as preserves and are commonly found for sale in local markets. A plant of the warm temperate to tropical zones, being found at elevations above 1,000 metres in the tropics. Plants are susceptible to frost, even the fleshy roots can be killed by temperatures down to freezing. Prefers a sunny position. Thrives in alkaline soils. Fruit. Of poor flavour raw. Often used to make preserves. The white or yellow, ovoid fruit is 18mm x 8mm.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2021-10-05. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Salpichroa+origanifolia>

Eugenia myrcianthes “Ubajai” sourced from sacredsucculents
Myrtaceae. Small willow-like tree to 15-25′. Pendulous branches, simple glossy leaves, pubescent when young. White flowers and apricot size edible fruit. The flavor of the fruit is excellent when still pale yellow but becomes insipid upon turning a dark yellow/orange. Native to the Rio Plata region, Brazil. Easy to grow ornamental/edible, mature trees tolerant of mild frost. Z9b
Text Sourced from sacredsucculents.com

Acanthosyris spinescens - “Sombra de touro” sourced from huertasurbanas
Sombra de touro is a thorny, deciduous tree with a low crown; it can grow 3 - 6 metres tall. The short, crooked bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild and consumed locally, though it is not widely appreciated The plant also has local medicinal uses.
The thin-skinned fruit has a very succulent pulp with a sweet, pleasant flavour. The fruits are about 3cm in diameter
A decoction of the leaves is used as a treatment for high fevers The leaves are used externally to dress ulcers

Eugenia pyriformis - “Uvaia” sourced from huertasurbanas
Uvaia is an evergreen shrub or tree with a small, open crown; it can grow 5 - 15 metres tall. The erect bole can be 30 - 50cm in diameter. The edible fruits are greatly appreciated in Brazil, where the plant is widely cultivated in home gardens and orchards, both for its fruit and as an ornamental tree. The fruit is edible. A pleasant aroma with a sweet but insipid flavour. The fruits have a thick, very succulent pulp with a sweet or acid flavour according to variety. It is eaten fresh, made into juices, jellies etc. The yellow, aromatic fruit varies in shape from globose to pear-shaped, and in size from 4cm in diameter to 8cm long by 6cm wide. A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations from 300 - 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 26°c, but can tolerate 15 - 30°c. Plants are tolerant of occasional light frosts. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 450 - 600mm, but tolerates 300 - 800mm. Succeeds in full sun or part day shade. Adaptable to a range of soil types, but intolerant of alkaline soils. Prefers a well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5 - 8. Prefers high levels of organic matter in the soil. Established plants are drought tolerant. A slow-growing plant, rarely reaching 2 metres tall after 2 years. Seedling plants can start producing fruit when 3 - 4 years old.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2021-10-26. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Eugenia+pyriformis>

Myrcianthes fragrans - "Twinberry, Simpson's Stopper" forgot where I got it
A short bushy tree usually growing no higher than 15-20 feet. It is easily trained into a short hedge as well. Evergreen, features attractive white blooms that may occur at almost any time of year in warm climates. The pretty blooms have a wonderful scent reminiscent of gardenia. Blooms are followed by small berry-fruits which ripen to an orange-red. The blooms are quite popular with butterflies and the fruits attract birds. In addition, Simpson's Stopper also has smooth, red-brown colored bark (similar to the guava), adding to its ornamental appearance. Hardy to 25F. Attractive bush or small tree native to Florida and the Caribbean. Bears a small, orange-red, edible berry-fruit having a mild, citrus-like flavor. Simpson's Stopper is commonly planted as a hedge in much of South Florida, usually seen in urban settings where controlled hedging is needed. Despite sometimes being found planted in mundane locations, the plant is a beautiful United States native that can make a wonderful ornamental in the garden.

Text sourced from tradewindsfruit.com

Myrcianthes pungens - “Guabiyu” Pretty sure from NissanVersa
Guabiyu is a semi-deciduous tree with a large, rounded, dense crown; it can grow from 12 - 20 metres tall. The bole, which is normally crooked and gnarled, can be 40 - 60cm in diameter.
The tree is widely cultivated for its edible fruit within the plants native range. It is also used medicinally, the timber is harvested from wild trees and the plant is grown as an ornamental. Fruit - raw. A succulent, juicy pulp with a sweet, pleasant flavour. The dark purple, globose fruit is up to 25mm in diameter. A plant of tropical and subtropical areas, mainly at higher elevations up to 2,200 metres in the tropics. Prefers a position in dappled shade.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2021-09-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Myrcianthes+pungens>

Celtis ehrenbergiana - “Tala” sourced from huertasurbanas
Celtis ehrenbergiana is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree with a more or less pyramidal crown; it can grow 4 - 7 metres tall. The irregular bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter.
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its edible fruit, medicinal properties and dyestuff. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental. Fruit. A succulent pulp, but there is not much of it. The oval, orange-yellow fruits are about the size of a pea. Edible and sweet. Astringent. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of indigestion. A plant of the subtropics and tropics, found at elevations between 300 - 1,700 metres in the tropics. Prefers a sunny position. It is apparently tolerant of a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. A fast-growing tree.
Text sourced from Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2021-09-15. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Celtis+ehrenbergiana>

Uvaria rufa sourced from Elopez
Uvaria rufa is a woody, climbing shrub with stems up to 5 metres long.The edible fruits are much esteemed locally, being commonly harvested from the wild and also sold in local markets. Fruit - raw. The orange-yellow fruits have a granular, sweetish flesh. An alcoholic tincture of the roots is used as an oxytocic. The bark has been shown to contain alkaloids. Sparsely forested slopes at elevations from 400 - 1,700 metres in southern China. Lowland forest in Malaysia.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2023-02-18. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Uvaria+rufa>

Eugenia spp. cv. “Sweet”

Small purple sweet fruits. It has beautiful multicolored bark. Growing on edge of creek at high elevation. Frost hardy. Plant reaches 9 feet max. Collected in south brazil. Text and plant from Brian Laufer

Things that survived but I didn't take pictures of-
Bananas, Pomegranates, Figs, Blackberries, Grapes, Peaches, Persimmons, Loquats, Feijoa,

Lycium andersonii “Desert Goji/Wolfberry” Sourced from Sacredsucculents
Solanaceae. Densley branched thorned shrub to 3–6’+. Semi-succulent leaves. Yellow/lavender tubular flowers followed by small round edible berries. Seed from Baja. Drought deciduous. Heat, drought and sun tolerant. A good choice for the arid edible landscape. The berries are rich in beneficial phytonutrients. Z9b/10a?

Rosa roxburghii “Cili” “Sweet Chestnut Rose” sourced from sacredsucculents
Stout shrub 4–8′ tall. Thorned branches, long pinnate leaves. 2″+ pale pink to purple-pink flowers, sweetly scented. Unusual orange-yellow fruit blushing red, globose to 1.5″+ and covered in small prickles. Native to southwest China. The fruit can be eaten fresh with a mild pineaple-like flavor. Traditionally made into a jam and wine, the dried fruit is brewed into a sweet tea that is said to strengthen all faculties and enhance longevity. The leaves are used as a green tea substitute. The fruit is rich in minerals, vitamin C and E, beneficial polyphenols, polysaccharides and SOD. Studies have shown the fruit is a strong antioxidant with anticancer potential, cardiovascular benefits and cognitive enhancement. Easy to grow, sun to part shade, rich, moist soil. We offer seed grown plants from strains selected for their darker fruit color and medicinal value. Z6a

I'll update the post as things bounce back, now that they are getting warmth and water again I am hoping that things looked worse than they were

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / WTB- Airlayered Lychee

« on: February 04, 2023, 04:03:52 PM »

Hey All-

Looking for an Airlayered Lychee because I am in a marginal zone and not ready to put one in ground-

Leaning toward an emperor because o0f the dwarf size and supposedly good fruit but would be open to other vars

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / 1000th Post Giveaway!- Entries Closed!

« on: January 31, 2023, 09:35:49 PM »

Hey All-

I am getting dangerously close to post 1000 and I want to go a giveaway in appreciation of all the knowledge and friends I have gained through the board-

I'll be giving away one sprouted Asimina campechianus- I'll pay shipping as well

from Raul's description-

Quote

I got some seeds of this Paw paw tropical relative wonder if can be used toward Asimina triloba for creating a tropical Paw paw, I was told Sapranthus fruit is good eating sweet fruit.

The person with the closest guess to the time and date to when I make my 1000th post will win- an example entry would be

2/7 4:15pm

I am (with this post) at 969 posts which makes me 31 posts away from 1000 and I (apparently) make roughly 1 post a day for those who want to try to gauge it.

Also the making of this post will not affect my posting rate, and I will only edit this original post with updates to answer any questions

Good Luck All!

The seedling in question

And a picture of the fruit from Raul

As Mango Stein Pointed out I didnt make a deadline-

In the interest of keeping the "prediction" part fair everyone must enter by Sunday

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Pineapple Guava Fruit for Sale

« on: January 28, 2023, 11:37:26 PM »

$20 a pound + shipping

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Eugenia, Plinia, and other Seedlings that Tolerate Cold

« on: January 18, 2023, 10:31:04 PM »

Hey All-

Part 2 of the california cold update a reminder of the coldest dip so far from my precious post

Quote

A major difference in my treatment from last year is I actually stopped watering about a week before the cold snap hit in both places-

I left the thermometer out in CA and recorded a dip to 29*F here this year, it was very short and surrounded by several 40*F days, so take these observations with a grain of salt.

These plants were active selection experiments to see what would survive-

Chrysophyllum caimito-

10/11 of these died- this one is holding on though!

Eugenia arrabidae-

2/3 of these survived- it looks like they are also cold tolerant

Eugenia involucrata "Orange"-

These are from marcos and recently listed for sale again- looks to be quite cold tolerant 2/2

Eugenia pyriformis-

again I think the burn is from overwatering

Eugenia squamiflora-

Pretty sure the burns on this one are from overwatering not the cold

Plinia inflata-

Reports of cold tolerance of this species may be true- both plants are looking okay right now

Tropical Fruit Discussion / An Interesting Fig Tree in the Neighborhood

« on: January 08, 2023, 05:56:32 PM »

While biking around I noticed this fig tree that seemed remarkable in that it is bearing fruit at this time of year and that they seem to have survived a dip down to 29*F-

I will collect one of the figs when they droop and if they are good tasting will take some cuttings

Some pictures of the offender

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Some Plants that Took a Dip Below Freezing

« on: January 08, 2023, 05:34:42 PM »

Hey All-

Another winter and I thought I would write up another report of what seems to have done well with the cold. I brought a few of my favorite selections with me to the Bay Area that I will cover here- Unfortunately Texas got down to 18*F this year (something usually unheard of but for the second time in 3 years) and will do a separate write-up about what seems to have done well there (teaser is Myrcianthes fragrans was untouched)

A major difference in my treatment from last year is I actually stopped watering about a week before the cold snap hit in both places-

I left the thermometer out in CA and recorded a dip to 29*F here this year, it was very short and surrounded by several 40*F days, so take these observations with a grain of salt.

First up, Afromamum angustifolium-

Surprised by this one but it is pretty mature and again was dry

Adansonia gregorii-

Got whacked a bit but looks like it should bounce back-

Diospyros spp. -

Very little known about this species other than that it came from Forest House Cameroon

Saba senegalensis-

A lot of these got sold during the fundraiser for Andreas- happy to see they are a bit cold tolerant, the fruit is supposed to be good and hopefully a few people on here have it

Paullinia pinnata-

I have no idea why this species appears to be cold tolerant- I accidentally left it out during the freeze in Texas and after defoliation it came back

Rheedia aristata-

The cuban mangosteen is proving to be one of the hardiest of the genus, I hope the fruit it good but it is a pretty plant, and could be useful for grafting if nothing else-

Unknown-

This is an unknown species from the fruit and spice park-

Psidium spp.-

This is one of the guava species from member Andres Pires- I think it was amarela or goiba roxa but the label got lost

Myrciaria glazoviana-

Didn't even blink

Eugenia neonitida-

I have a few of these because I really like the fruit, some did worse than others, but it looks like after you expose them once they take the cold better

Multigrafted Plinia-

All the grafts seem to have held

Myrciaria guaquiea-

This thing is beast, another where i hope the fruit is good, ever since putting it on the fertilizer recommendation from achetadomestica it has really taken off

Tropical Fruit Discussion / New Fruit Report! Cereus spp.

« on: December 20, 2022, 06:32:25 PM »

Hey All,

Recently while biking around I found a very mature Cereus spp. that was holding some fruit on it on public land- Any help IDing would be nice

Fruit looks orange red- leading me to believe it could be validus? I also think peruvianus has larger fruits that are more red

Overall a pretty underwhelming fruit but heres the breakdown-

Flavor - surprisingly floral and just a bit sweet, I ended up eating quite a bit of it

Pros - Fruits and flowers in December, need little care/irrigation, Pretty imho
Cons- Mucilaginous, inferior to dragonfruit in terms of flavor which is already borderline in my book, can get quite large

Tropical Fruit Discussion / How to Sprout Pouteria spp.

« on: December 15, 2022, 05:52:26 PM »

Hey All-

Apologies if this is a repost or common knowledge, but based on a quick search I didn't see anything with this info on it-

Pouteria are a great tasting genus of fruits (in my opinion) that often really shine when used in recipes like milkshakes, ice creams, or pies. Growing Pouteria seems to be gaining some popularity on the board so I thought I would share this bit of info on the germination of most (if not all) Pouteria species.

You need to crack the outer shell to release the endosperm and embryo- there is a chance that seeds can do this on their own for germination but I have performed some tests on Pouteria lucuma and found the cracking and removal of the seed coat to be beneficial.

I recently got some Ross Sapote seed from palologrower and thought it would be a good opportunity to demonstrate pictographically-

You have to use some force to whack them (I usually use the back of a spoon or something) but be careful not to damage the endosperm very much-

Tropical Fruit Discussion / First Banana Bloom! Supposedly Blue Java

« on: December 12, 2022, 01:47:30 PM »

Hey All-

Jest received a fabulous picture from the place in Houston-

This will be our first rack of Bananas coming in, quite worried about them making it through the winter- but have a few other pups around it that will hopefully bloom at a more favorable part of the year.

I have heard that this variety needs propping but I am not there, so I am not sure I will be able to

Tropical Fruit Discussion / tropical.theferns.info down?

« on: December 08, 2022, 10:19:03 PM »

Hey all-

this website is an amazing resource that many of us use but I am not sure how many people are aware that it is run by a small husband and wife team- the Ferns

Is it down for everyone or just me? I would hate to see this resource lost, but even when trying to navigate to the donation page it seems to be down

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Syzygium australe Fruit Report

« on: November 30, 2022, 09:34:11 PM »

Hey All-

I think I ID'd this as Syzygium australe after taking a look at the trees on stanfords tree map- It clearly is surviving in Z9a, but in a courtyard against a wall so may be benefiting from radiative heating

Here is a (not great) photo of the flower

better flower

And of course the fruit!

The money shot-

Beautifully crisp and juicy with a bit of lemony tartness, good amount of flesh to seed ratio-

I'll collect some seeds and put em up for sale

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Eugenia stipitata - Second Year Blooms, Maybe Fruit

« on: November 30, 2022, 07:28:58 PM »

Hey All,

When back in Houston recently, I obviously took a stroll of the garden and to my great delight I saw some blooms on the Eugenia stipitata- Araca Boi

This is the second year with flowers, about a 4 year old plant and it bloomed last year but didn't hold anything-

I know through conversation with NissanVersa I know that there are at least two different varietals of this species- and at one point I had both but the wider leaf varietal appears to be less cold tolerant, and didn't make it through the winter.

I had heard that they fruit much better with multiple plants but other than this one I only have seedlings now-

Citrus General Discussion / Rangpur Lime Tasting

« on: November 30, 2022, 01:55:15 PM »

Crossposting this at the request of pagnr

Finally Citrus reticulata x medica - Rangpur lime

I saw these at the farmers market and curiosity got the better of me, I was fully expecting them to be green inside, and so when I peeled the skin I was absolutely sure that I had been bamboozled and sold a tangerine.

When I put a segment in my mouth I was quickly corrected- It tastes like a lime- intense citrus that is maybe a bit lighter than a regular one. I made an amazing salad dressing with it

Tropical Fruit Discussion / First flowers of Macleania smithiana

« on: November 28, 2022, 05:49:08 PM »

Hey gang-

while perusing my selected plants in California I came across some new (what I think are) first flowers!

the genus Macleania is not often discussed here but this is the info I have on the plant sourced from sacredsucculents.com

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 think these are the flowers?

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Found a Nice Post on Germination of Chrysophylum

« on: November 20, 2022, 09:37:19 PM »

Hey All-

Chrysophylum have always been a tricky species for me to germinate-

I found this paper on Chrysophylum albidum germination that I will probably try in the future- the long and short of it is they recommend soaking the seeds in water for 8 days before planting, and then keeping moisture content around 20 for a week

https://www.interesjournals.org/articles/influence-of-seed-treatment-and-moisture-content-on-germination-and-early-growth-of-chrysophylum-albidum-g-don.pdf

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Annona purpurea seeds for Sale 10 for $40

« on: November 19, 2022, 03:31:32 PM »

Hey gang,

I have 6 packs of 10 Annona purpurea seeds for sale,

$40 a piece

Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Dragonfruit Cuttings for Sale

« on: October 15, 2022, 02:21:13 PM »

Hey all-

My dragonfruit patch is in serious need of a cleanup- I have the following cuttings for sale, all cuttings are 12-17" and will be shipped bare root.

Baby Cerrado-

Baby Cerrado is a Selenicereus setaceus variety native to South America, and this is a subspecies of the Brazilian Cerrados. This variety grows naturally on rocky mountains, old tree trunks, and sand soils of high fields in Minas Gerais, Bahia, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, and Tocantins states. Spicy Exotics collected this variety for a grower in South America.
Text and picture from spicyexotics.com

Unrooted- $15
Rooted - $25

Yellow (likely palora)-
Yellow Dragon is a Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya variety that comes from the genus Selenicereus and the species megalanthus. This variety is native to Northern South America, where it is also known as the Colombiana variety. If your looking for a challenge and some of the best-tasting fruit, look no further. Yellow Dragon is the one for you. Spicy Exotics collected this variety from a tropical grower in California.
Text and picture from spicyexotics.com

Unrooted - $10

S8-
Sugar Dragon is a hybrid variety that comes from Hylocereus guatemalensis and another unknown species. This Dragon Fruit hybrid produces small half-pound to three-quarter pound oval-shaped fruit. The external appearance of the fruit is red with tiny deep green, almost brown fins. The inner flesh is a bright red purplish color with a semi-firm texture that is very sweet. The first fruit tested in 2019 had an average brix score of 18, but research has stated a mature plant can produce fruit with a score in the twenties.

The flowers are of Sugar Dragon are plentiful, fragrant, and self-fertile. Pollen is also used widely to assist in pollinating self-sterile varieties. Spicy Exotics considers this variety an excellent universal pollinator. Sugar Dragon is a robust grower with meaty stems that are olive green in color. Thick small spines occur along the rib line of each stem. Stems resemble typical Hylocereus setaceus is size and shape.

The Sugar Dragon Dragon Fruit variety is a clone created by Paul Thomson called 8-S initially. It was a cross using the Houghton and Rixford variety. The 8-S seedlings were later renamed Voodoo Child by a nursery in Florida. Then a few years after that 8-S was renamed by a grower in California Sugar Dragon. Both Voodoo Child and Sugar Dragon resemble one another and are very similar to there parent, Houghton. Spicy Exotics collected this hybrid variety from a tropical grower in California.
Text and picture from spicyexotics.com

~~Rooted - $15~~

Black africanis-
Very little info on this one- people are selling for much more on etsy, supposedly a very good fruit.

Unrooted - $15
~~Rooted - $25~~

Send a PM if interested- Shipping will be added for each order, can be combined to save

Tropical Fruit Discussion / New Fruit Report! Acca sellowiana, Syzygium paniculatum Citrus reticulata×medica

« on: October 13, 2022, 01:52:59 PM »

Hey All-

I am running around a new landscape and finding new fruits to taste!

First up is Acca sellowiana- pineapple guava

I had very high expectations for this fruit, many people call it their favorite and I have seen many bushes around Houston, but never one that was holding fruit-

I bought some from the farmers market here because they were available before the few on the tree near me were ripe. I googled how to tell when they were ripe (I am a genius) and it said they should be soft not squishy- I tried to gauge this but ended up letting them get over-rpie and they were way too perfumey/soapy.

So I abandoned my google-fu and said- "They're guavas, they should be ripe when they smell good" and with a couple now falling off the tree near me I tasted these ones and they are quite amazing. Its a very unique flavor that is not exactly the combination of pineapple and guava. When I first started eating them I thought they were good but not that amazing but then I noticed that they had that lychee-esque quality where once I started eating them I just wanted to keep going- I wouldnt put these on the level of mangosteen, but they are really good, and I am going to plant some more at the property in Houston

Second is Syzygium paniculatum - Australian Brush Cherry

I was with some of my family when I found this tree who have increasingly little patience for me running around and examining random trees. As such I was only able to snap a quick picture of the tree here.

These are much better than the standard lilly pilly- Syzygium smithii- in that they have much more flesh and flavor. A nice crisp tasting fruit that is similar to a wax jambu although much smaller. A bit astringent of an aftertaste that left many in my family not liking them but I thought they were good.

Finally Citrus reticulata x medica - Rangpur lime

Tropical Fruit Discussion / New Fruit Reports! Ugni molinae, Luma apiculata, and Psidium longipetiolatum

« on: September 26, 2022, 07:13:58 PM »

I am getting the lay of the land here and doing my best to find some good foraging/scavenging spots. (while never taking from peoples yards!) As well as checking out a few of the local farmers markets.

In a trip to San Francisco Botanic Garden I was able to find Ugni molinae (Right) and Luma apiculata (Left)

I took a picture of the Luma tree but forgot to get one of the Ugni bush-

The Luma taste like blueberries on the interior and quite good- the skin has a licorice flavor that I am fond of but some people might not like.

Have you ever wondered where the "skittles" flavor comes from? It's this fruit- they are very tasty, only problem with both of these is that they are small.

I was wandering around a farmers market when I spotted a little stand that had just 3 baskets of "Cherry Guavas" left, I happily grabbed one for $5 and can check Psidium longipetiolatum off the list now

These are delicious and might represent the best alternative to cherries in subtropical climates. I didnt get much guava flavor from them at all.

Tropical Fruit Discussion / First Paullinia pinnata blooms

« on: September 18, 2022, 02:33:59 PM »

Since I am a madman and when I get one plant of a genus I need to get more I acquired a Paullinia pinnata - Tietie from Ertdude (RIP) a while back.

While not much is known about the caffeine or stimulant properties of this plant (like Paullinia caupana - Guarana) the fruit is supposed to be larger and edible, as well as the leaves being used for a vegetable and the vines as cordage.

https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Paullinia+pinnata

Well a while back I got my first flowers!

I really thought I killed this one when I was lazy about bringing it in last year but it has come back with vigor now. I brought this one with me to the bay area so it will continue to be monitored and loved.

Tropical Fruit Discussion / Trans-Plant Successful! Miami Trip- Moving to the bay and Fruit Adventures!

« on: September 18, 2022, 02:19:50 PM »

It has been a wild couple of months all!

I managed to taste one of the best texas native fruits i have had and I have been looking for for a while!

Diospyros texanensis - Texas Persimmon!

I had a couple right when I picked them and they weren't much to write home about, they tasted like a black persimmon, a good one but they are not that good of a fruit.

So! I decided to leave one on the counter until it felt like a full water balloon like you do with other persimmons and the flavor completely blue me away- similar to a pawpaw and quite delicious I definitely am going to grow a few of this tree.

Next, as a gift to myself for getting this new job I went to the Keys top check out the family land there as well as go to fruit and spice park to meet with Satya and pick up some trees I purchased way too long ago to plant out as well as bring some of the less cold tolerant species from my yard to plant them out there.

I had a rough time at the airport after landing in Miami (not due to the suitcase full of plants), and Unfortunately Satya was traveling when I could make it but his wonderful partner showed me around and gave me an absolutely delicious Barbie guava and some great Nam Wah Bananas as well as a great tour of their yard! The barbie guava is the best one I have ever had- huge and none of the perfume flavor that people sometimes don't like. She also gave me some fermented Noni juice that was quite tasty despite the way the normal fruits smell. I even took a plant with me after tasting it!

Satya might be the only person with a greenhouse crazier than mine!

After this is was a drive down to Homestead- and a morning stop at Robert is Here for some fruit breakfast

I was able to try a yellow passionfruit that was amazing with almost no acidity, Guama (an ice cream bean variety) and Mamoncillo here which were delicious. I am still trying to find a good tasting cold hardy Inga species that has a chance of producing fruit in 9b but nothing so far. Mamoncillo is amazing but I have already killed 5 trees- they hate any dip in temp

Next I was off to fruit and spice park- the people here couldn't be nicer and I wish I lived down the road so I could go every day. When walking ion they gave me a little fruit sampler which was worth the price of the ticket alone

The winner of the sampler were by far the Rollinia, so creamy and delicious and really does taste like lemon merengue. close second was the seashore mangosteen of which I was able to pick a lot of later.

People say August is not the best time to go but I have to say I found and amazing variety and quantity of fruit there- first some tree pics-

The final fruit haul is here- unfortunately not pictured because it got kind of smashed was Eugenia neonitida which I have to say I found absolutely delicious. If you like seashore mangosteen the sourness on this one is less and it only has a vague hint of resin that is sometimes associated with the genus. The fruit is huge and the seed is small

Fruits from top left to bottom right
1. Aegle marmelos - Bael Fruit
Haven't tasted this one yet, I heard it is supposed to not bounce when you drop it in order to be ripe and mine keep bouncing
2. Persea spp. - Avocado
Pretty good florida style avos
3. Annona X - Lisa Atemoya
One of the best annonas I have ever tasted, tree ripened and florida grown this was a true delight
4. Annona purpurea - Soncoya
I dont think this ripened properly but I will go into more detail later
5. Pouteria hypogluaca - Cinnamon Apple
A good ingredient fruit- would make an amazing graham cracker flavored milkshake, not that good out of hand
6. Mammea americana - Mamee Apple
Delicious, complex, huge fruit the name tropical apricot is a good idea of where the flavor starts but it is really really good
7. Garcinia celebica - Seashore Mangosteen
Less sour than I was expecting after readong some other flavor reports, I really like them and the fruit generally only have 1 mature seed so there is plenty for eating
8. Psidium spp. - Red Guava from Robert is Here (RIH)
A good guava, but poor compared to the barbie from Satya's yard
9. Nephelium spp. - Rambutan (RIH)
Just normal rambutan- not freestone which is always a bummer
10. Melicoccus bijugatus - Mamoncillo (RIH)
Delicious citrusy kind of pixie stick flavor- cool looking, fun to eat and delicious. Only problem is they can be a bit fibrous.
11. Inga spp. - Guama (RIH)
I have tried a few Inga spp. at this point and these were good- light cottony sweetness without too much fiber which seems to be in the larger/longer varieties
12. Musa spp. - Nam Wah from Satyas yard
Delicious, a bit seedy but doesn't ruin the eating experience at all
13. Manilkara balata - Balata
Different from the Manilkara bidentata I had in Tobago, these were gross. The Tobago ones are delicious, and given that they share a common name I wanted to try this one but it was really bad
14. Rheedia spp. - American Garcinia
This pretty clearly looks to be a superior lemondrop mangosteen but it is labeled rheedia at the park and after growing the plant I can say it is definitely different from the Garcinia brasiliensis I have sourced in other places. The leaves are much larger and wider and it grow much faster. The fruit tastes very similar to brasiliensis but is maybe a bit sweeter.
15. Coccoloba uvifera - Seagrape
These were not great, a bit salty and a bit sweet. I can see eating them if you need to and they can literally grow in sea water to they have utility as a pioneer and anti-erosion species.
16. Myrciaria vexator - Blue Grape
This was a major disappointment. I am growing these plants and they are beautiful so I really was hoping the fruit was good but I found them to be so resinous I couldn't eat them. I tried putting them in the fridge for the next day and they were still gross and astringent. The one hope I have is they don't appear to drop from the tree so maybe they were just way over ripe.
17.

I cut this open and a jelly that smelled of turpentyne came out so I threw it away
18. Diospyros nigra - Black Sapote
A normal black sapote- I don't think these are very good fruits out of hand- okay in a milkshake
19. Campomanesia spp. - Perfume guava
They had several other Campomanesia varieties here but this was the only one bearing fruit and was, of course, unlabelled. I really like this fruit. It earns the name perfume guava- if you do not like the smell that can come in the mexican cream guavas stay away, but I found them delicious.
20. Coupea spp. - Baboon cap
This was a wonderful find, when I first tasted one it was similar to a Pouteria, a bit starchy and probably best as an ingredient in some cream based dessert. I let the other three ripen significantly more and this was great for the flavor. A complex mix of dates and berries and pumpkin, I really really liked these. I gave the seeds for this to NissanVersa on here as unfortunately my garden space and time has diminished drastically with this new job.
21. Spondias purpurea - Hog Plum
Pretty good- very sour, wouldn't eat a lot of them

Next was on to the property down in the Keys! Here is some large scale views- it is basically impenetrable scrub

But here is a little area I cleared for planting

I put all of the plants from the suitcase in the ground here as well as many many seeds so we will see what takes

ABOUT THE SONCOYA-

so neither the lisa or the soncoya were ripe while I was in FL so I flew them back with me to TX-

They we essentially collected in the same state- top about to split, still on the tree with the stem completely dried

The lisa ended up perfect- it was delicious

And despite the soncoya looking like it ripened perfectly when NissanVersa and I tried it it had no flavor, was starchy and inedible.

This was a major disappointment, I am not sure what went wrong

Believe it or not I squoze a small trip up to Michigan in for a family wedding and managed to catch the family Paw Paw tree in fruit- I think this might be the best North American Native fruit. Our tree is ~20 years old so it is not one of the new cultivars. the fruit is small and seedy but delicious like blue raspberry custard. I only was able to catch a couple drop and gave them to NissanVersa

FINALLY I was headed out to the bay area-

After 35 hours of driving in a 20+ foot vehicle me and some of the plants made it safely- I got lucky that the property owner and tenants seem to be into plants and fruit stuff so there was some cool things here when I arrived

First is a Giant Feijoa! this is the first one I have seen bearing fruit- havent had a chance to try any yet but I am told they are delicious from the neighbor

There is a nice volunteer grape vine- the fruit are small and seedy but deliciously sweet

And Arbutus unedo are growing all over the place. People seem to be entirely ignorant of the fact they are edible, and some trees are even quite good, so I am just biking around and collecting fruit!

Relatively settled now. the select plants I took with me received a beating but I am getting them babied and back into good care now.