Author Topic: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)  (Read 1334 times)

tru

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 471
    • Texas
    • View Profile
Which one would you highlight? Taste reports heavily preferred!

Could be a variety of fruit, a species, a genus, a whole family... what is a small niche in our already small niche that deserves more love?
instagram @trumansacco

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2354
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Natal Plum. Fully ripe fruit reminds me of cranberry apple sauce.

elouicious

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1355
    • Houston, Tx
    • View Profile
Getting more known these days but

Lucuma

and Pouteria in general
« Last Edit: January 23, 2023, 09:40:49 PM by elouicious »

tru

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 471
    • Texas
    • View Profile
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=49348.0
Check this out!

That thread made me buy mammea americana as well as a couple other things from palologrower 🤣 gotta fill up my pokedex

Natal Plum. Fully ripe fruit reminds me of cranberry apple sauce.
the bushes are so beautiful when they are filled, It's like christmas ornaments but none of the work
« Last Edit: January 23, 2023, 10:01:47 PM by tru »
instagram @trumansacco

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2354
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile
Natal Plum. Fully ripe fruit reminds me of cranberry apple sauce.
Must be better selections out there. The ones I had just made my mouth sticky from latex.

thesimsdude

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 71
    • United States, Fl, Auburndale Zone 9b
    • View Profile
For me, it would be Olosapo

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Yangmei (Myrica/Morella rubra)

Here’s a taste description from a couple seasons ago:

A good friend in San Francisco stopped by Bi-Rite and picked up some Yangmei for around $50/lbs if I remember correctly. He was generous enough to overnight me some and I was super stoked. He was able to get some Dongkui and also some Biqi.

Ever since this group buy, I was excited to grow this tree because of how rare it is but I have never tasted the fruit and always wondered in the back of my mind, what if this fruit doesn’t even taste good?

Well, those fears were laid to rest today and I’m stoked to report that this fruit is absolutely incredible! It’s very unique and there’s no other fruit like it! To compare it to a more common fruit like a strawberry would be a disservice to the Yangmei. After eating this fruit, I can’t understand why this fruit isn’t more talked about and why did it take so long for us to find out about it?

This fruit has a slightly sweet smell with a tinge of berry, a hint of floral notes and a background of sandalwood. I know it sounds unusual but to me, the smell is absolutely fantastic.

I gave a DongKui to my daughter and she said it was reminiscent of a strawberry but better. I then gave her a Biqi and she liked Biqi even better. I feel that the people that have tried Yangmei often compare this fruit to a strawberry not because it actually tastes like a strawberry but because the taste is subtle. The sugar level is moderate and the acidity is also moderate. The actual Yangmei flavor is also moderate but the complete package is sublime.

Yangmei is not one of those fruit with an intense flavor profile but it’s fantastic smell combined with a perfect sugar acid balance makes it super addictive. I feel like I can eat a bucket full of these fruit.

The first fruit I sampled was a Dongkui and the fruit were larger than I was expecting. The Dongkui was a bit larger than a half dollar and there was a good amount of flesh on the fruit.  The fruit tastes like it smelled and it had a Brix of 10.1%.

I then sampled the Biqi which is a smaller fruit that is much darker in color. The Biqi was slightly smaller than a half dollar and had a Brix of 13.4%. The Biqi has a noticeably sweeter taste and in addition to the flavor that the Dongkui had, the Biqi also had a combination of Blackberry and Pakistan mulberry. In this sampling, I preferred the Biqi over the Dongkui. The folks at Calmei or wherever these fruit came from did a very good job growing and processing these fruit from the quality I observed in this small sampling.

I’m definitely saving the seeds and hopefully they will sprout in a year or two. Now I’m super excited that I have a few trees that are still alive. My Anh Hai and Biqi have grown pretty well and are ready to be up potted.

Here are some pictures of the absolutely incredible tasting Yangmei fruit.





Simon

hammer524

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 512
    • USA, Arizona, Phoenix, 9B
    • View Profile
Great write up Simon. Now I will be even more crushed if all my yangmei trees die under my care.

tru

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 471
    • Texas
    • View Profile
Every day I find another reason to be sad that I missed on the group buy, can't wait to try it myself!

Getting more known these days but

Lucuma

and Pouteria in general

I just got a pouteria ramiflora seed that I'm very excited to watch grow! how does lucuma taste?
instagram @trumansacco

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2023, 03:57:52 AM »
Natal Plum. Fully ripe fruit reminds me of cranberry apple sauce.
Must be better selections out there. The ones I had just made my mouth sticky from latex.

The best ones I have tasted were so ripe that they had started to get wrinkly.

bussone

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 185
    • Philadelphia, PA (7a)
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2023, 08:08:45 AM »
Thimbleberries. Although they hate heat.

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #12 on: January 24, 2023, 06:37:57 PM »
Thimbleberries. Although they hate heat.

Thimbleberries are good. I don't think I'll be growing them in Florida, but I've had them before. They have a nice raspberry flavor. Aren't they mostly thornless, too?

elouicious

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1355
    • Houston, Tx
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #13 on: January 24, 2023, 06:39:48 PM »
Every day I find another reason to be sad that I missed on the group buy, can't wait to try it myself!

Getting more known these days but

Lucuma

and Pouteria in general

I just got a pouteria ramiflora seed that I'm very excited to watch grow! how does lucuma taste?

The best varieties are like a caramel with sweet potato consistency

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2354
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2023, 07:09:07 PM »
Thimbleberries. Although they hate heat.

Thimbleberries are good. I don't think I'll be growing them in Florida, but I've had them before. They have a nice raspberry flavor. Aren't they mostly thornless, too?
Very good I have some growing wild at my place. I should dig them up and actually designate a place to plant them in the yard. I belive it's rubus occidentalis?

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #15 on: January 24, 2023, 09:18:10 PM »
I was thinking of R. Parviflorus (not to be confused with R. Parvifolius of Australia). Its native range is mostly west of the Rocky Mtns. but also includes the Great Lakes region according to the great Google. R. Odoratus is a closely related species that has beautiful pinkish purple flowers. It is native to the eastern US including the Great Lakes Region again and ranges as far south as Alabama and Georgia. I think I have only taster the white flowered species. It is indeed thornless.

R. occidentalis is the black raspberry. It is also very good in my opinion and has a depth of flavor that is missing in a lot of the red raspberries.

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2354
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2023, 09:31:53 PM »
I was thinking of R. Parviflorus (not to be confused with R. Parvifolius of Australia). Its native range is mostly west of the Rocky Mtns. but also includes the Great Lakes region according to the great Google. R. Odoratus is a closely related species that has beautiful pinkish purple flowers. It is native to the eastern US including the Great Lakes Region again and ranges as far south as Alabama and Georgia. I think I have only taster the white flowered species. It is indeed thornless.

R. occidentalis is the black raspberry. It is also very good in my opinion and has a depth of flavor that is missing in a lot of the red raspberries.
Makes sense. I realize the black raspberry common name many people just call thimbleberries here. It does have a nice depth kinda like a tropical flavor in a sense. They have thorns.

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2023, 09:50:58 PM »
I was thinking of R. Parviflorus (not to be confused with R. Parvifolius of Australia). Its native range is mostly west of the Rocky Mtns. but also includes the Great Lakes region according to the great Google. R. Odoratus is a closely related species that has beautiful pinkish purple flowers. It is native to the eastern US including the Great Lakes Region again and ranges as far south as Alabama and Georgia. I think I have only taster the white flowered species. It is indeed thornless.

R. occidentalis is the black raspberry. It is also very good in my opinion and has a depth of flavor that is missing in a lot of the red raspberries.
Makes sense. I realize the black raspberry common name many people just call thimbleberries here. It does have a nice depth kinda like a tropical flavor in a sense. They have thorns.

I did a lot of research on rubus species when I was younger and even had some hybrids that I was working on for Florida. Unfortunately, my wide crosses did not prove fertile and I ran out of spare time to work on it. Maybe some day I'll have the chance to do it again.

Okvid

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
    • CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2023, 10:11:45 PM »
+1 to Natal Plum. Taste like a plum in the beginning and ends with sourness. The skin is most sour part.

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2354
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile
Re: What is your favorite 'lesser known' fruit? (olympic fruits disqualified)
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2023, 10:31:01 PM »
I was thinking of R. Parviflorus (not to be confused with R. Parvifolius of Australia). Its native range is mostly west of the Rocky Mtns. but also includes the Great Lakes region according to the great Google. R. Odoratus is a closely related species that has beautiful pinkish purple flowers. It is native to the eastern US including the Great Lakes Region again and ranges as far south as Alabama and Georgia. I think I have only taster the white flowered species. It is indeed thornless.

R. occidentalis is the black raspberry. It is also very good in my opinion and has a depth of flavor that is missing in a lot of the red raspberries.
Makes sense. I realize the black raspberry common name many people just call thimbleberries here. It does have a nice depth kinda like a tropical flavor in a sense. They have thorns.

I did a lot of research on rubus species when I was younger and even had some hybrids that I was working on for Florida. Unfortunately, my wide crosses did not prove fertile and I ran out of spare time to work on it. Maybe some day I'll have the chance to do it again.
That is really cool! I've been very interested in rubus species and I hear there are a lot of them. It would be cool to see new hybrids and such. So much potential.