The Tropical Fruit Forum

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1454439222/guarana-paullinia-cupana-rare-live-plant

I have purchased from this seller before and they're great.

I'm not sure if the flower is right. Does it look like this?
https://galensgarden.co.uk/herbs-and-homoeopathy/herbs-for-herbivores/cats-claw-uncaria-tomentosa/

No, unfortunately that's Pereskia aculeata. Funnily enough there's an old thread on here where Luc had it growing wild on his property and complained he had to cut it back regularly, haha.

Quote from: blackb0x on January 18, 2025, 10:55:47 PM

Capparis masaikai and Curculigo latifolia would make nice additions to the list.

There's a commercial brand of chocolate called Oobli using this for sweetening that might be worth trying 😋

I think Joe Hewitt just posted a picture of some that he's growing, so he might know of a source for seeds. It also might be worth asking Forest House Cameroon or Ferdy Manga if they have access. Good luck!

Capparis masaikai looks delicious!  That is so cool to know about.  Thank you for mentioning it!  Do you know how cold hardy it is?  Capparis spinosa, which is in the same genus, is supposed to be hardy to about zone 8b (15 degrees F).  If it's an 8b plant, I could probably get away with growing it in an unheated greenhouse.

Curculigo latifolia sounds even better.  Wikipedia says the fruit has the same effect as miracle fruit?  Wow!  Sign me up!

Do you know where I could get viable seeds of either of those to try?

They're from a subtropical area, so I think it's unlikely to survive in that zone without supplemental heat. There's some more info on it here: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200009170

Unfortunately I haven't found a source for non-dried seed, and I hear they need to be pretty fresh to be viable.

For C. latifolia, I've found a fair number of sources of both seeds and plants:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/405203933810
https://nusaplant.com/products/curculigo-latifolia-variegata
https://www.rarepalmseeds.com/curculigo-latifolia-var-latifolia
In CA and FL nurseries carry them, and I believe a few forum members are growing it.

Cheers!

Ooh, thank you for starting this thread!  You've introduced me to two more species I'd never heard of that are sweet without sugar.  I find that highly intriguing, especially since it implies there may be more.

That brings the total number of plants I know of that can do that to seven:

Asterales order, Asteraceae family:
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)

Brassicales order, Pentadiplandraceae family:
Oubli fruit (Pentadiplandra brazzeana)

Cucurbitales order, Cucurbitaceae family:
Monkfruit (Siraitia grosvenorii)

Ranunculales order, Menispermaceae family:
Serendipity berry (Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii / Dioscoreophyllum volkensii / Dioscoreophyllum gossweileri)

Rosacales order, Rosaceae family:
Sweetleaf raspberry (Rubus chingii var. suavissimus)

Ericales order, Sapotaceae family:
Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum)

Zingiberales order, Marantaceae family:
Katempfe (Thaumatococcus daniellii)

Does anyone know of more?

Capparis masaikai and Curculigo latifolia would make nice additions to the list.

There's a commercial brand of chocolate called Oobli using this for sweetening that might be worth trying 😋

On-topic, there's another thread with some info here: https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=14777.0

I think Joe Hewitt just posted a picture of some that he's growing, so he might know of a source for seeds. It also might be worth asking Forest House Cameroon or Ferdy Manga if they have access. Good luck!

Camplus on Etsy/Ebay has some great rare stuff and is accurate and high quality.

Loving this review format 

If you're okay with seeds GardenShaman sells them and is generally pretty reliable:

https://www.gardenshaman.eu/en/produkt/katzenkralle-uncaria-tomentosa-samen/

https://www.gardenshaman.eu/en/produkt/katzenkralle-uncaria-guianensis-samen/

I'll have to place an order with them across the pond eventually if I can find any local sources.

Hey Rispa, This grows naturally around our land down South. I'll watch for it. D

Are you sure you're not confusing it with https://www.npsot.org/posts/invasive-plant/dolichandra-unguis-cati/?

I don't think it would survive winters in Texas; it's native to the Amazon rainforest.

Has anyone tried growing wasabi without flowing water? I want to try growing it but everywhere it says it needs water to flow through the shadehouse and that it needs super specific conditions.

I've been growing some for the past five years without flowing water and they've done pretty well, although they're definitely temperamental. They are very prone to rot and mold and needs lots of fresh air and ventilation. Well-draining soil helps a lot. Additionally, they don't tolerate heat and will wilt and die back even in the 80s F. They definitely need shade if grown outdoors. I have found they can take a fair bit of cold without damage although I haven't let them freeze over yet. The person I got mine from had great luck growing them in CA and was able to propagate tons of offshoots in pots outdoors every year despite the sun.

If anyone in the US has a small lot import permit I would love to join a group buy (but can't apply for one due to terribly broken USDA process).

Ison's should have it in spring. I'm interested in trying it too

https://www.isons.com/shop/fruit-trees/apple-trees/cinnamon-spice-apple-tree/

I think OP means cinnamon apple (Pouteria hypoglauca) related to sapote, not an actual temperate apple (Malus domestica) variety.

Seeds arrived quickly and were packaged and labeled perfectly. Some of them are already sprouting just a couple of days later. Thank you!

Even on the same trees fruit production varies drastically. Back when I lived in WA, some summers I found many trees absolutely loaded with cherry plum fruits painting the sidewalks purple, and other years they were barren besides a few for the birds. Most of them were Thundercloud, but other varieties seemed to fare about the same year to year.