Author Topic: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica  (Read 1103 times)

JoshuaTilaranCR

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I live in northwest Costa Rica in a small town outside of Tilarán. I've managed to collect some neat "rare" fruits that a lot of people around here don't know about and I want to try and find more. I know people in the central valley have lots more selection and in Limon and southern Puntarenas also but up here it's difficult to find different stuff. Even in the farmers markets where one could easily source seed they usually just have the best selling stuff and nothing out of the ordinary. Now that you know my situation, here's a list of things I want to try to find...

Eugenias -
Pitangatuba
Pitomba
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Rainforest Cherry

Garcinias -
Achachairu or other new world species

Red or scarlet Jaboticaba (I think everyone has sabara here)

In a couple days, on Sept 2 to the 7 I'll be in the US visiting my family in Connecticut, if someone has some pitangatuba and red or scarlet Jaboticaba seeds and can get them to me at short notice up there I'd be interested in purchasing from someone up in the US at least for those seeds. Thanks for looking!

JoshuaTilaranCR

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2021, 01:33:27 AM »
Also...a scion from a black Pitanga that I can graft onto my red one. I'll add more things as I think of them.

Pedroboy

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2021, 05:51:44 PM »
Apart from a Google nursery search that I wouldn't presume to say would improve on your local knowledge, I recall watching a whole series of YT segments that Pete Kanaris of Green Dreams (FLA) has assembled on his tours of few longtime CR food forest / permaculture pioneers there.

Might be names you already recognize, but maybe there's something new to be had too. Thoughts Pete?

Cheers,
Chris

JoshuaTilaranCR

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2021, 07:13:54 PM »
Thanks for the advice! I've actually watched all those videos haha. All of the people he visited were in the central valley, Limon and southern Puntarenas. I've contacted a few of the people to see if they would send plants via mail or bus or delivery service but no one really does that here. I went to Zill's twice and got some plants there and also brought home some seeds of some other plants. I really want to get over to Ark Herb Farm also. They're all places that are at least 3 hours away from me though and with our food business it makes it hard to go out. I'm at the point where I want to make a Facebook group for rare fruit collectors in Costa Rica, and I don't even have Facebook, so that maybe I can help other people out to find plants also especially around here

Pedroboy

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2021, 10:05:38 PM »
Funny - people like me - stuck here in the Arctic that is the No. Central CA Coast always think the grass must always be greener in locales like yours. And though I've visited CR maybe 7 or 8 times, I have to admit exactly that - it's almost all been limited to Arenal, Dominical, Osa and  Limon/Puerto Viejo - with only one trip out to Santa Teresa/Malpais and Hermosa 20 years ago - I'm almost afraid to know what's become of it, actually.

But I can imagine that with its more temperate, arid landscape, Guanacaste presents different challenges for nurserymen. Good luck on your quest - you sound like someone to look up the next time I head your way.


JoshuaTilaranCR

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2021, 01:54:00 PM »
The grass here is only greener for half the year! The other half its hurricane fore winds and some mist but basically dry. We live about 30-40 minutes from Arenal, going around the lake to the north west and the change in climate is pretty drastic. I have a friend in Arenal with a permaculture farm and he says the longest he goes without rain is about 15 days. If you're ever here I'd be happy to show you around!

roycarballo

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2022, 12:15:39 AM »
Hello. Here a beginner, also Tico.
Apart from Zill plants and the "Jardín Botánico La Isla", there are also the fruit hunter people, who specialize in Durian (http://www.fruithunternursery.com/nursery).
You can also get some national Eugena species at Fundazoo (https://www.fundazoo.org/vivero-forestal-fundazoo?fbclid=IwAR0Wbm2E4llBfDn5bI31kIk-W3FhdImukWMmhSlpJUc9m17cd65klwiypQs) or at the UNA nursery (https://drive.google.com /file/d/1rCrRBEy5yblAU09h4F3-rI5sTTw-9k3J/view?fbclid=IwAR2FLv7Ls1y-Sp6YF_yQbnfml8JAygGLgH1enRrASabQRv943YH3xSTtsKY).
And if you want a more important challenge, you can try Plinia puriscalensis in the La Cangreja National Park nursery, or even the new Plinia costarisensis in Bajo Rodríguez de San Ramón.
I write you a private message to contact you.
Greetings.

roycarballo

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2022, 12:27:44 AM »
And I forgot: there is the "quinta diamante" of Jesse Blenn
https://youtu.be/mxdOkYIjq3c

K-Rimes

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Re: Trying again to find some plants or seeds in Guanacaste Costa Rica
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2022, 02:52:22 PM »
When I was in CR recently, I stopped by Vivero Tarbaquita and was extremely pleased with their selection of fruit trees. I was looking for a jabo to give our AirBnB host who advertised as having a fruit farm... But had no fruit trees.

They had big sabaras probably 6-7 years old for $30US, the 2 year old I bought was $5USD.

They also had some arazas, cherry of the rio grande, acerola, and a couple others. They didn't have pitangatuba or pitomba or anything too exotic but nice selection and pricing imo. Worth a visit. It's not far outside of San Jose and "kind of" on the way to Guanacaste