Author Topic: Achacha in California? (Read 10086 times)

Organic · « **on:** September 23, 2016, 01:16:53 AM »

Anyone know if you can grow achacha in California?

dwfl · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2016, 10:20:51 AM »

California is pretty big. I'd say Southern Cal areas have better shot at fruiting Achachairu than northern. Not aware of anybody that has fruited them in California yet. Plenty of people in California are trying though, so within 10 years people should have better idea.

joehewitt · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2016, 01:05:34 PM »

There are a lot of people growing rare fruits in California who don't talk about it on the Internet. Achachairu is one of the fruits being quietly grown to maturity in backyards in southern California. I've heard the stories and I'm working on getting more evidence and possibly some fruit, which is in season right now.

I have several small Achachairu trees in the ground here in northern California, and they've done well enough for me this summer to think it should be easy in the warmer spots down south.

JF · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2016, 01:15:14 PM »

Quote from: joehewitt on September 23, 2016, 01:05:34 PM

There are a lot of people growing rare fruits in California who don't talk about it on the Internet. Achachairu is one of the fruits being quietly grown to maturity in backyards in southern California. I've heard the stories and I'm working on getting more evidence and possibly some fruit, which is in season right now.

I have several small Achachairu trees in the ground here in northern California, and they've done well enough for me this summer to think it should be easy in the warmer spots down south.

This is true. I'm also interested finding a fruiting achachairu in SoCal which looks doable from the tree I have. I like to know when it starts flowering. There is a garcinia xanthochima in Fullerton arboretum that's always loaded with fruits or flowers.

simon_grow · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2016, 05:42:12 PM »

I have a small one growing unprotected outdoors for a couple years now. It will probably be another 3 years before I get fruit. I know lots of people are growing this fruit but most the people I know have small trees.

Simon

Ethan · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2016, 11:53:29 PM »

I have an 8 year old seedling in a 32 gallon pot. I would guess it should survive in S. CA pretty well.

BestDay · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2016, 10:06:51 AM »

Ethan, how large is yours in a pot? After eight years does it still seam happy in a pot?

Bill

Birdman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2016, 03:06:55 PM »

I have xanthocimus outdoors year round, I know that tree at the Fullerton. Actually achachairu is probably the fastest germinating garcinia for me. I see no real reason for it to not do well in my area. Xanthocimus, intermedia and Luc's Mexican are doing very well and the climate range for achachairu overlaps the same sort of range.

BestDay · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2016, 04:38:19 PM »

What is the largest known Achachairu in California? The largest I know of is franks that I think is six feet?
I'm under the impression they start fruiting at about ten feet tall.

Bill

joehewitt · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2016, 10:18:30 PM »

I finally got my hands on California-grown Achachairus! And they're unbelievably good!!

I didn't see the trees they came from, a friend of mine did, and reported they were about 15 years old and very bushy. Grown in Orange County near the coast.

This fruit is really good and everyone in Southern California should be growing it.

BestDay · « **Reply #10 on:** October 02, 2016, 01:10:58 AM »

Very nice. So how tall and wide is this bushy tree?

Bill

greenman62 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 02, 2016, 10:05:49 AM »

so, what is the cold tolerance on this ?

I am in New Orleans. Zone 9b, but the last 3 years the worst frost we had was 2 years ago
it hit 28F for a few hours just before dawn. some years we never get a frost,
but we have had temps in the low 20s a few times, but, its very rare.
at that point i would loose several plants anyway...
so, once a decade i might have to buy more fruit trees.

We have been breaking heat records too.
but i am guessing if it can handle SoCal it should be OK here as far as heat.

JF · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2016, 11:23:38 AM »

Quote from: joehewitt on October 01, 2016, 10:18:30 PM

I finally got my hands on California-grown Achachairus! And they're unbelievably good!!

I didn't see the trees they came from, a friend of mine did, and reported they were about 15 years old and very bushy. Grown in Orange County near the coast.

This fruit is really good and everyone in Southern California should be growing it.

Great job Joe very encouraging.
SoCal coastal climate are amazing. I think there are 11a growing zone in areas of the south bay and Orange County and look what Mark Lee is doing in Chula Vista in SD. I'm no longer surprise what can be grown in SoCal.

alan · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2016, 05:02:13 PM »

Yes, I've thought that for awhile that right near the coast in Orange County really is zone 11, and not 10b. Great to hear the Achachairus is fruiting in this region!

Birdman · « **Reply #14 on:** October 03, 2016, 10:38:23 PM »

You're right about there being pockets of 11a here in So Cal. I'm in North San Pedro elevation 190 feet at the base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Technically I'm in zone 10b but my winter lows are higher than that. Achachairu can be found at higher elevations on the Amazonia plateau from what I've read.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2016, 02:19:07 AM »

Quote from: Birdman on October 03, 2016, 10:38:23 PM

You're right about there being pockets of 11a here in So Cal. I'm in North San Pedro elevation 190 feet at the base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Technically I'm in zone 10b but my winter lows are higher than that. Achachairu can be found at higher elevations on the Amazonia plateau from what I've read.

Achachairu js from the foothills of the Andes, not the Amazon.

CGameProgrammer · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2016, 02:47:40 PM »

Are these the sort of fruit you basically have to suck on, like Spanish Lime (genip)? Or is it easy to eat?

joehewitt · « **Reply #17 on:** October 04, 2016, 03:46:47 PM »

I'd say about 80% of the flesh comes off the seed easily, the remaining 20% sticks to the very large seeds. It reminds of swirling one of those honey-lemon lozenges around my mouth, sucking out the flavor until it dissolves.

The only thing I didn't like was that 1/3 of the fruits had small soft undeveloped seeds which had a resinous taste if chewed accidentally. If you get one of those, you're picking those bits out of your mouth before you can really enjoy the tasty parts.

BestDay · « **Reply #18 on:** October 04, 2016, 05:35:00 PM »

Joehewitt, interesting what you say about the underdeveloped seeds in some of the fruit. The Achachairu I had all had fully formed seeds. But the fruit I had were more ripe with an orange color. Maybe that is the difference. Do you know how large the tree is that these fruit came off? How tall and wide?

Bill

hungplu · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2018, 06:01:12 PM »

Greetings,

Kindly advise where to buy this tree in Orange county CA. Thanks

Ahernan2006 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2019, 06:56:20 PM »

Hi,

Im looking for an achacha tree to plant in San Diego. Does anyone know where I can find an achacha in Southern California?

Lilduckie76 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 20, 2020, 10:33:09 PM »

I just bought mine through facebook Marketplace in Garden Grove, Ca. About 2 to 3ft tall in 5 gallon pot.
Can anyone tell me what this brown spots are on the leaves. Should I be concerned and do something before it gets worse?

Jeramyl · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2023, 12:47:45 PM »

Reviving an old thread here in search of an update. It’s been a few years and time for these SoCal growers to have trees mature a bit more.

Have you guys been successful with growing and fruiting Achachairu here in SoCal?

Looks like a delicious fruit.

spaugh · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2023, 08:02:14 PM »

I have some trees growing but they are not that well suited. The Lucs tree seems to be more hardy.

Jeramyl · « **Reply #24 on:** March 20, 2023, 02:29:28 AM »

Quote from: spaugh on March 19, 2023, 08:02:14 PM

I have some trees growing but they are not that well suited. The Lucs tree seems to be more hardy.

Feel free to give me grief for not being sure Spaugh… do you mean lucuma when you say "Lucs" ?

spaugh · « **Reply #25 on:** March 20, 2023, 02:40:42 AM »

Theres some kind of plant that is almost the same as achacha called lucs garcinia. Its named after a guy in mexico called luc who was on this site. You can search for lucs garcinia here and find more info. I am not that informed on the difference but I have both types and the Lucs seems to be less affected by the cold weather.

Heres a link

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=25182.0

strom · « **Reply #26 on:** March 20, 2023, 08:54:48 AM »

Is there a way to tell the lucs vs achacha seedlings apart? ~~I errr I mean~~ a friend of mine mixed them up

Bush2Beach · « **Reply #27 on:** March 20, 2023, 11:26:54 AM »

Achachairu leaves are long and slender, Lucs nots so much.

aaronn · « **Reply #28 on:** March 20, 2023, 02:02:04 PM »

I’ve left small Garcinia seedlings outside this winter in Napa, 9b. I have managed to kill most of them this way. So far Lemon Drop seems to be the most hardy. Maybe a Luc’s will pull through. But Achacha, Superior Lemin Drop, and Seashore mangosteen look like they aren’t going to make it. I NEED to grow Achacha so I’m starting more seeds and will take better protection measures for a few years but if they can’t ultimately survive outside then I’ll give it up.

K-Rimes · « **Reply #29 on:** March 20, 2023, 02:20:01 PM »

Quote from: aaronn on March 20, 2023, 02:02:04 PM

I’ve left small Garcinia seedlings outside this winter in Napa, 9b. I have managed to kill most of them this way. So far Lemon Drop seems to be the most hardy. Maybe a Luc’s will pull through. But Achacha, Superior Lemin Drop, and Seashore mangosteen look like they aren’t going to make it. I NEED to grow Achacha so I’m starting more seeds and will take better protection measures for a few years but if they can’t ultimately survive outside then I’ll give it up.

I tried all number of garcinia even in my greenhouse, and no go. I gave up. If I were in 10A I would plant by a house and forget about it for a decade... But 9b outdoors, fuhgettaboutit.

tru · « **Reply #30 on:** March 20, 2023, 02:38:25 PM »

hey strom here’s a side by side, Achacha left luc’s right

SDPirate · « **Reply #31 on:** March 20, 2023, 04:03:36 PM »

Anecdotal but I had a small Achacha probably about 9 inches outdoors and it looks like it didn't make it here in 10B. Probably a combo of the cold/rain/windy winter we have had (for Southern California standards anyways) and its young age. I did tuck it away indoor about halfway through winter but probably too little too late. Garcinia Madruno on the other hand basically went through the same conditions and is perfectly fine. I may try getting an Achacha again, but seems like a lot of time and work babying it here in infancy to get it going.

SHV · « **Reply #32 on:** March 20, 2023, 07:18:42 PM »

I have a couple Achachas that were approximately 4 ft high, nicely branched, doing well in an unheated greenhouse. I slowly introduced them to outdoor shade then full sun over a spring and summer. The new leaves would get trashed whenever there was a windy day under outdoor shade but would grow ok. Once exposed to full sun, the tree would get burnt to hell and new leaves would not fully develop. Over the following winter, lots of dieback exposed to the elements. I dug them up and potted them back in the greenhouse to recover and are doing fine.
You can grow them here, but they need a lot of protection from the elements, particularly if you live more inland. Most seedling Garcinias that I have acquired do just fine in pots in a greenhouse, even with regular mid-high 30F nights. Space will eventually be the concern. Eventually will be a long time based on their slow growth.

SDPirate · « **Reply #33 on:** March 20, 2023, 08:44:08 PM »

Yeah I could see the cold wind being a factor with the death of mine. I may try again at a later point. I'm just glad the Madrunomade it or I would be Garcinia-less. The Frankies Garcinia and Garcinia Macrophylla will be my next winter experiment (that hopefully doesn't die

.

gozp · « **Reply #34 on:** March 20, 2023, 11:46:27 PM »

I have 5 achachas. 1 in the ground & 4 on the pots. I leave them outdoors unprotected and take my weather like a champ. I had em for 3 yrs now i think & have 8 lucs.

Zip code 91307

BestDay · « **Reply #35 on:** March 21, 2023, 01:47:45 PM »

My Achachairu does fine here in Long Beach. It has been in the ground for 2-3 years. It is about 5 feet tall. It doesn't mind our cold wet winters at all. In summer it does get mostly shade. So it is growing slow. Before it was in the ground it got half sun during summer and did fine. Actually none of my Garcinias have seemed to mind winter here. Even small seedlings.

Bill

Jeramyl · « **Reply #36 on:** March 22, 2023, 01:41:58 AM »

Anyone want to post some photos of your trees? Would be great to see some planted trees…shape, size,etc.
sounds like they grow slowly for us here in SoCal

gozp · « **Reply #37 on:** March 24, 2023, 02:30:26 PM »

Lucs on the left and achqcha on the right

I dont protect these on the summer & winter tho they are close to the wall.

Jeramyl · « **Reply #38 on:** March 25, 2023, 01:49:57 AM »

Very nice. I’m really curious about growing this one. Thanks for posting

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Author Topic: Achacha in California? (Read 10086 times)