The Tropical Fruit Forum

I use copper plate around my veggie planters

I grow cacao instead of bicolor because I can find the seeds and fruit!!! 
I'd love to grow others but can't get my hands on them. Seedlings from EBay are risky at best.

Carolyn

You might try Montoso Gardens in PR, they are a great source for Theobroma seeds

Great thread, love coconut flavor mangoes (and pineapples!)

Any chance M4, Pickering or another variety would produce in wet humid Hawaii?

For reference I’ve only seen Rapoza, Keitt, Pirie, R2E2 and Mapulehu produce here.

They go slowly at first for a Garcinia and the distinctive 'shouldered' foliage doesnt take too long to develop.

Definitely slow but robust. With the slower Garcinias I’ve been conflicted whether to plant out small after two years and protect in the field or keep in nursery until 3 feet tall or so. Which method is the fastest to maturity?

Name means something like sweet cream.

Sorry to hear this is no longer being sold, didn’t get a chance to try one.

Preparing to plant out a batch of achachairu, acuminata and modruno from the nursery. Grown in tree pots they are at least two years old and two foot tall. Grown under 50% shade and have been exposed to morning sun for the last month to get them ready for the field.

Yesterday I noticed some leaf burn and drop on the achachairus. With rainy cool conditions ahead now is the time to plant but I don’t want to lose these plants or have to shade in the field.

Is this typical? Will they adapt and reshoot in ground or do I risk losing these plants?

Achachairu strikes me as very robust so I’m inclined to go for it and let them figure it out in ground.

Yum, enjoyed a tasty seedless today! Must be fairly common, don’t have many plants.

Your growing conditions are more similar to wet Hawaii than Florida.

It’s going to be a real challenge. I’ve yet to plant mangoes but have been observing friends trees for years. Casturi is dependable and can be tasty but has a unique flavor not everyone likes. Of the indica varieties Rapoza, R2E2 and Keitt can do well in a drier microclimate if the rains and flowering cooperate. Of the three Rapoza is by far my favorite, orange sherbet with hints of coconut.

My plan is to topwork with multiple varieties on some wild mangoes already in the ground.

Those king and Erdon Lee pics look under ripe and or long storage.

The Erdon Lee I had Australia were delicious but lacked a distinct flavor. On taste alone not many would call them a favorite but they have that wow factor and a lot of juicy flesh to eat despite the large seed. Also they opened dry for me which I appreciate.

As an aside the Australian Kwai May Pinks were fantastic, distinct cinnamon flavor.

I’ve web searched lychee king awhile back. If I remember correct they are special because of the arid volcanic soils they grow in on north Hainan island, suppose to concentrate a certain mineral the Chinese find healthy.

Look for your seeds first here in the US, everything you mentioned can be found. So much easier and often better germination if you buy from good sellers.

I’ve had good experiences with Honolulu office. Problems have been with shipping routed through LA first and getting stuck with border there despite paying for express shipping to Honolulu port. If seed coat has been broken seeds are destroyed.

Good luck!

Meiwa has the tingle, more so in Hawaii than mainland Meiwa

Obscure but lychee can cause encephalitis in malnourished children

The bigger and lighter you make them, by adding more perlite and peat, you should begin to add concrete glue and glass fiber for strength. Searching for hypertufa recipes will give you a good jumping off point.