The Tropical Fruit Forum

Thank you both, that's encouraging about the cold hardiness. Now to find space...

Also I assume you'll keep these in a greenhouse. Recently saw a video about a farmer in Japan who keeps his white sapote trees pruned small for easier harvesting and to avoid tropical cyclone damage/toppling yet are still quite productive: https://youtu.be/LFMSt4DhgeM?t=575

If you haven't found anyone yet I've had Suebelle fruit from this Etsy seller who also sells scions and lists shipping to Sweden: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1764702884/two-2-suebelle-white-sapote

The fruit from this tree is excellent. Good luck!

Awesome thank you so much! Will try planting jabos. The deer here are nuts about stone fruit leaves (plums, peaches, pears), citrus (even green unripe clementines), blackberry, mulberry, chestnut, but are leaving loquat, avocado and olives alone.

K-Rimes do deer eat jabo leaves/new growth? Noticed you mentioned the deer enforcer but sounds like that's more for fruit protection? A friend has deer issues and wasn't sure how jabos might fare with deer. Thanks in advance!

Mine looked similar to RevivalR00ts when it arrived 2.5 weeks ago and it has now succumbed, very thin caliper. Wish I'd grafted it sooner.

The other is starting to get more brown leaf spots and dead leaves at bottom but also has some new growth at top. Do they die from the bottom up instead of top down? Can you graft the fresh green growth or needs to be woody?

   

Quote from: RS on September 01, 2025, 07:30:52 PM

Quote from: Sevastopol on August 25, 2025, 07:27:57 PM

The one fruit tree I plan to plant in my front yard is starfruit. Never seen anyone slam on their breaks and run out to get a starfruit they just spotted.

This happened to me! It was a couple from the Caribbean, super excited to see starfruit. I have Kari planted next to the sidewalk in my front yard, not in the curbstrip where it would make a huge mess and need constant trimming. As the tree gets older the fruit is fairly well hidden under the foliage.

In the curbstrip I have olive, loquat and tamarind. Today was the first time I saw people stealing olives!

Yes, it's a thing. Just never seen it with starfruit. lol
I wish I could grow Tamarind! Do you mind telling us about it?

They literally slammed on the brakes and jumped out Nice they asked though instead of just taking it, unlike the people taking olives.

I don't have irrigation so everything in the curbstrip has to be super hardy and drought tolerant. Tamarind is supposed to do well in those conditions but may die back in a freeze. It's still very young so will see.

Great tour, thanks for sharing and looking forward to part 2. Hope you and your family enjoy the canistels when they ripen!

The one fruit tree I plan to plant in my front yard is starfruit. Never seen anyone slam on their breaks and run out to get a starfruit they just spotted.

This happened to me! It was a couple from the Caribbean, super excited to see starfruit. I have Kari planted next to the sidewalk in my front yard, not in the curbstrip where it would make a huge mess and need constant trimming. As the tree gets older the fruit is fairly well hidden under the foliage.

In the curbstrip I have olive, loquat and tamarind. Today was the first time I saw people stealing olives!

If anyone has a chance to visit the mature yangmei at Woodlanders in SC or the Georgia research trees, it'd be great to learn more about the east coast yangmei. The poor survival rate from the California group buys has been really disappointing.

Woodlanders does include some tips and a disclaimer:

"Here at Woodlanders, Yangmei has always held a special place in our hearts. We’ve nurtured a beautiful mature specimen in Aiken for years, quietly admiring its evergreen grace and seasonal magic. But it’s been over two decades since we’ve been able to offer this elusive gem to our customers—until now.

Thanks to the meticulous work of our new partner, Plant Propagator (@yangmei.us)—the leading voice for Yangmei cultivation in the U.S.—we’re proud to reintroduce this rare species to American gardens.

Why it’s worth the wait:

Shimmering, evergreen foliage with a soft, lanceolate shape
Female cultivar of a fruiting, dioecious species (male needed for pollination)
Earlier ripening, darker, more flavorful fruit than Dongkui
High in antioxidants and adored in East Asian cuisine
Prefers acidic, well-drained soils and a little patience

A note for the determined gardener:

Yangmei is not for the faint of heart. It’s slow to establish and sensitive to transplant, but once settled, it’s remarkably resilient. Those who commit will be rewarded with a botanical jewel that bridges the ornamental and the edible—and fruits that rival anything you’ll find at a market."

Quote from: RS on August 07, 2025, 08:13:03 AM

It'd be great if this could be recorded and shared on YouTube!

I think the meetings are usually posted on YouTube. If it is, we will post a link in this thread.

That would be great, thank you!

It'd be great if this could be recorded and shared on YouTube!

When left to their own devices, most of my pineapples bloom in February and come ripe at the end of July/beginning of August about 18-24 months from planting the top. Most will fruit again a year later if you thin them to 1 sucker/ratton. I try to keep the lowest one possible that is growing vigorously and remove the others so all the energy goes to that pup. You keep the lowest one so that the plant does not fall over from being top heavy. If you want a grocery store size pineapple the leaves need to be at least 2" wide (fertilize regularly). Skinny leaves = smaller (but no less tasty) fruit.

Great info Galatians! I haven't tracked the time from flower to fruit. Sounds like this one that's flowering now could be ripe in December or January.

Any ideas what prompts them to flower? I leave them to their own devices but it'd be nice to spread out the harvest more. At this point, they're a mix of tops and pups/slips/ratoons separated from the mother plants. Like bananas, once you have one pineapple you have a lifetime supply