The Tropical Fruit Forum

I am finally getting the time to visit Excalibur today.

I was told before that someone there would give me a tour of this lovely place.

I'm going to spend some $$. 

Who should I ask for?

Per the other blueberry discussion threads we've had, I have determined to begin a write up on a one of a kind highbush blueberry that grows prolifically in the deep south, and does so with very dense, and tall trunks.

I will consolidate the primary details here and update the thread accordingly during a full season from flowering to fruition.  Meanwhile, I will be air layering some branches to begin the propagation process.

Those who may not yet know, this variety was a southern private family-grown heirloom for a couple centuries and never released to the public.  This is the only known one remaining in existence, and it is our collective goal here to remedy that.

As time progresses, I will monitor every detail of this blueberry, and those who are interested, I'll be making new plants available.  In addition, we will come up with a common name for us to use in the trade.



LATEST UPDATE VERSION:  20161213

Hardiness Growing Zones & Participants in the Blueberry "Tree" Project:

Many growing zone slots available.  Looking for more interested in trying this out.

1a
1b
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a:  Droshi
8b:  Isaac-1
9a:  Tropicalnut
9b:  Starch; SocalKoop; Tropheus76; ClayMango
10a:  Fyliu; JonathonForester; cfinley; barath
10b:  Gunnar429; Grandmotherbear
11a
11b:  From the sea
12a:  Hydro
12b
13a:  Caesar
13b

Ok, I have an Anna Apple that has been covered this year in tiny orange-red dots from the rootstock to the highest twig.

I've never seen this.  Looks like some tiny version of rust, but not rust.

Some of the branches are dying back.  It flowered heavier this year than I've ever seen, and dropped 100% of its fruit.

I think it is toast, but need to know if this is contagious and if I should quickly dispose of it?

By the way, black two-stabbed lady beetles (Chilocorus) have been feeding on the orange dots.

Thanks.

Sorry, no pics, but wait, there's more.  Don't leave yet!

Long ago before the time of digital cameras in our pockets, there was this bush growing near Wrights Ferry Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN.

Every year it produced giant round fruit that looked like Breadfruit.  I have no clue whether or not it was edible and never tried one.  However, the local hillbillies gave it assorted names like "the pineapple tree," "hillbilly handgrenade fruit," "prickly pawpaw," etc.

It is obviously not breadfruit since the leaves were small and they get snow there.  It is obviously cold tolerant.

The bush was cut down many years ago.  Wasn't any more than 8' height.

Really wish I knew what it was.  I only have childhood memories of it.

So I am curious if anyone has used the SWC pots showing up everywhere?

Will this work for our tropicals?

Since drainage is so important, I'm a bit concerned about how it works.

Ok folks.  My nursery got this oddity in.  I know zero about it, so of course I quickly snatched it up.

Based on what I read, it is also called a Phalsa Berry and apparently has great health qualities from eating it.

Can anyone tell me about this tree and the best route for caring for it?  Almost looks like a grape... tree.  Looking forward to seeing what it does.

Need help identifying this white stuff.

I installed citrus on my mother's property awhile back, and she sent me these photos wanting to know what this white stuff is.  No, it's not a web.  It is a Rio Red Grapefruit tree.

Ok, so my Wolfe has been in the ground for a few years now.

This beautiful evergreen is bountiful.  Hot and humid summer, cold snaps in winter, sandy soils, floods, aphids, etc.  Nothing phased it.
The guy is growing 6+ feet per year, and is perfectly symmetrical in branching without having ever been touched by a pruning.  Stands about 16' as of now.

Problem is, it makes no flowers for fruit.

Are loquats supposed to be topped to force fruiting like some other trees?  I understand a seed grown loquat takes 10 years or better, but this is the Wolfe variety, so I would assume it was grafted to a rootstock and should have fruited by now.

It is a beautiful tree.  I don't want to cut him unless I got to.

Please advise.

Decided to take some photos of my up and coming seedlings.

The mangos are store bought varieties--so unsure what they came from and don't really care.  They might be from Kietts since that is what the fruit resembled. I ultimately just want them for the plants.  The first is untopped and the second one was pinched at 6 inches and is going bushy.

The sproutlings are my annual papaya babies from my mother tree.  Maybe 3 will survive from that cluster.

The avocado, pinched at 8 inches, has finally popped it's recovery bud and is getting ready to branch.

Enjoy!

Where to begin?

I don't see why you guys aren't mentioning specific varieties in the Top 5 fruit post I read.  I mean, "orange" or "mango" used generically can mean a LOT of different things...

I love most fruit I eat, especially being diabetic--as my consumption of sugary fruit comes with limitations.  As a result, I suppose I savor the taste of fruit more than the average tropical fruit grower/consumer.

Rather than listing a top 5, which I doubt is realistic for most of us due to fruit diversity, I will divulge into what I think are the best varieties of the fruit I eat, and I grow most of these varieties (all but 2) listed below at home so I may enjoy them nice and fresh.  I'll only go into fruit trees (ok, and a cactus “you know who”), and won't bother with nuts or fruit vines.  I am sure you guys can add many more to the list, or even enjoy other varieties much more than these.  Also, I have never tried Sugar Apples or "fresh" Guava, so you guys will have to discuss those.

In my personal taste testing, I will admit to the following being the best for myself.


KEY:
GENUS

Tree:   Variety (Notes)


PRUNUS & ERIOBOTRYA

Apricot :  Tomcot (Probably the best apricot I've ever had and grow 2 of them)
Cherry :  Royal Rainier (Intense cherry, although I’m not yet growing this one myself—yet)
Loquat:  Wolfe (Probably my favorite evergreen on our properties.  I admire this tree every time I walk by.)
Nectarine:  Double Delight (By far the best there is in existence--to me, and beautiful to boot)
Peach:  Florida King (If you've never eaten one of these off the tree, then you've never had a peach)
Plum:  Emerald Beauty (Not only is it a great looking tree, the fruit is great--although hard to set fruit in my zone.  Still got some set this year though.)
(Distinct Hybrids) Pluot:  Flavor King (What do you mean there are other Pluot varieties and hybrids?)

MALUS,  PYRUS & PUNICA

Apple:  Ambrosia Giant (While Honeycrisp tastes a little better, the Ambrosia has the best texture and is easiest on the tummy, so wins for me.  Unfortunately, out of the 5 varieties I grow, this one can’t set fruit in my zone.  We do grow my wife’s favorite, the Fuji)
Crabapple Green:  Snowdrift (If you’re gonna eat them, this is the one to get)
Crabapple Red:  Prairie Fire (Looks and taste plus a good 95% fruit set each year make this a winner)
Pear:  Kieffer (Love it, and could make myself sick eating these off the tree)
Pomegranate:  Texas Red (Grows much larger than specified in most listings)

CITRUS

Grapefruit:  Ruby-Sweet Red (Technically a hybrid, grapefruits have earned the right to a place here.  This is my favorite)
Kumquat:  Meiwa (Of course.)
Lemon:  Meyer Improved (Also a “hybrid,” but for sake of ease, it’s just the best all around.)
Lime:  Mexican Sweet (I grow Key and Persian, but MS tastes unique and incredible)
Mandarin:  Owari Satsuma (My wife’s favorite citrus.  You can’t live on the Gulf Coast of the USA without owning one of these.)
Pummelo:  Chandler (My whole family—even the dogs—love this tasty giant)
Orange:  Cara Cara Red Navel (Probably the best fruit in the world—to me.  My favorite citrus tree too, and centerpiece of my orchard)
 (Distinct Hybrids) Tangelo:  Minneola (If ripened properly, these sometimes taste better to me than Red Navels, and that’s saying something)

PERSEA, FICUS, MANGIFERA, DIOSPYROS & POUTERIA

Avocado:  Mexicola (Tastes the best, self pollinates and grows in my zone—win, win in my book.  Wife was a Hass fanatic until we got this one)
Fig:  Excel (While I nip Celeste off the green every time I walk by, the Excel is the most anticipated one for me and makes it back to the house for further uses)
Mango:  Nam Doc Mai #4 (Have to grow it in a pot here, but WELL worth the effort.  Unbeatable.)
Persimmon:  Black Sapote “Chocolate” (What can I say?  It’s gross looking, but great tasting!  Fuyu takes 2nd only to this)
Sapote:  Mamey (Irresistible, this one.)

MUSA, AVERRHOA, ARTOCARPUS, LITCHI, CARICA & STENOCEREUS

Banana:  Ice Cream (The Banana of Bananas, and it sets fruit in my zone.  What luck!)
Carambola “Starfruit”:  Kari (I’ve tried most varieties, and nothing compares to Kari in flavor)
Jackfruit:  Excalibur Red (Different is sometimes just plain better.)
Lychee:  Sweetheart (Uniquely different and wonderful smell to boot.)
Papaya:  Unknown Seedling (I should call this one “The Viking.”  I’ve tasted many great papayas, but nothing comes close to a seedling I grew, and the fruits produced each year replicate the fruit/seed almost identically—sometimes only getting better)
Pitaya:  American Beauty – QOSF (The color is a bit overwhelming, but flavor makes up for it.)
Plantain:  Hua Moa (Thick and great fried.  My only complaint is it completely dies back at the first sneeze of cold, and if not caught or harvested in time, the fruits will ruin or split open.)

GINGKO

Gingko:  Maidenhair (We grow the Fastigiata male.  Females drop stenchy fruit carcasses if you don’t get them picked in a hurry.


Enjoy and discuss!