The Tropical Fruit Forum

Thank you!

My sweet and sour tamarind trees are loaded with big, thick, brown pods.  When I scratch them they are still green underneath, however they have been on the tree for months.  How do I know when to pick them?

Thanks Paul, I tried one that was soft. I can't describe the taste because the fruit was so small my tastebuds couldn't get a grasp on it . This was the first fruiting so hopefully the fruit get a little larger in future. 

Just notice these on the fingersop.  How do I know when they are ripe.

9 & 4

Thanks!

Specifically, are the seeds of garcinia intermedia (lemon drop mangosteen) edible?

Just a warning, these grow large!  I had to cut the two I bought from Logees ( after 2 years) and  put the cuttings directly in pots - 4 of the cuttings (with root nodes) are growing well.  I put all of them in a shade room during our coldest days (room went to 50f.  And now that the weather has warmed strong growth has started.  Most important, I've noticed is the need for a lot of water and they grow well in shade ( in the summer they are under the shade of a large tree) - and they can handle temps below 60 - not happy about it, but they can.  Hope this increases your success in growing.

I have had one for 3 years and as Peter said, the are not as heavy as passiflora, but they have numerous branches that grow quite long and entwine around each other, so the entire plant on a too small trellis might be a messy.  My trellis was too small so it grew up a wooden post and since the don't adhere to anything it would fall over and needed to be tied up for support.  It's pretty and flowers continually until it cools down.  However, I never figured out how to propagate it, I could never find seeds.  Its in its 3rd year and I cut it back after it died back in the winter.  It is putting out new growth.  Now you know what I know  

Thank you I will do that.
 Strangely, none  of the canistel,  sapodilla, or other fruit trees in the same proximatey are showing the same symtoms.
Orkine, are you seeing any more leaf drop?

Both garcinias are losing leaves.  At first I thought it was wind damage from Ian, but the damage is spreading.  It looks chewed but we are completely fenced.  These two trees are each 7 feet tall and wide.   Here are some pics.

Is it small enough to try using some type of insect barrier netting next year to test for the effect of cross pollination?

Chewing sugarcane varieties are pretty fast growers.  The downfall for me is that their leaves are sharp (think sawgrass, brromeliads) and they are messy looking.  I did like the look of Pele's smoke because the leaves as well as the stalk are purple, but you still need to occasionally clean it out.
Simpson stopper is a Florida native and I love the scent when I  brush against the leaves.  Nothing really bothers it and it fills in nicely.  The fruits are ok.