The Tropical Fruit Forum

Wow Harley, what great-looking seedlings those Quararibea cordata pics you posted show; it's good to see such healthy seedlings of this species! 

But I'm also with 'hammer', though because I had problems growing this species out-of-doors once the weather turned cooler here in Florida zone 9b.  They proved to be cold intolerant for me.

I don't know if this species maybe ranges into any higher elevations in Colombia than Cali, or whether it is strictly a lowland, warmth-loving species.  It might be nice to try this species again if there were some that were sourced from a higher elevation in its habitat, should such an option exist.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

As I recall our Gefner blooms mostly in March/April and most of the fruit comes ripe in September/October.

Thanks, Galatians.  I guess that I'd better start keeping an closer eye on it.

Paul M.
==

The fruit will lighten up and you will see yellow between the sections

Okay, good...Thanks for the reply  That's like what my sugar apple does when it's fruit is about ready to pick.

The fruit also softens up but it can seem rock hard in the morning and
be soft the same night

Interesting.  Sounds like it is important to watch for the yellowing between the fruit sections (carpels).

Most of my annona tree's early fruit don't size up and are not the best tasting.
The second year the fruit should improve.

Form what you say here, this early fruit on my 'Gefner' will stay somewhat small and retain a spiky exterior.

And I guess I should have asked originally what sort of schedule 'Gefner' has for blooming, setting fruit, and ripening (in what month, usually)?

Again TIA,

Paul M.
==

...for some reason the picture is being cropped weird for me as well but I can see a corner of the rollinia,

FYI, there's a gray slide bar below the photo & bottom message which you can drag to view the right hand side of the photo.

And yes, that is indeed a nice haul.  I'm still hoping to get to try some biribá (Rollinia) here in Florida before too long.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Looks like the haabitat of Sapranthus campechianus is the drier, low elevation area of Quintana Roo. 

If Sapranthus campechianus will even hybridize with Asimina triloba, is questionable in my mind, but if it will it would likely make for an interesting cross.

I cannot find what this newly collected species' fruit tastes like.  Does Raul know?

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

I would guess since its marketed for squirrels and a kill trap it will be hard to get in the usa possibly some laws broken? Squirrels are game animals in the usa so in every state you would need a license to harvest game. Now that its targeting game this would be sold to trappers in the usa and that doesnt look like it would pass the dec's eye lol just another thing against it . If it were marketed for rats i bet you could prime that thing and have it in 2days!

Frankly I don't conceive of squirrels as game –at least not in Florida and surely not in the middle of a large urban city Llike Tampa.

And as far as I'm concerned squirrels are little more than fluffy rats, anyway.  So since they are essentially vermin, I still don't get why these humane but effctive kill traps for squirrels are not available in the US.

Truly puzzling . . .

Paul M.
==

[snip] the squirrels really did a number on my labels in 2021

Just a side note, directpeat...

If you are growing out-of-doors (as most of us are) try using yellow vinyl labels.

The birds and squirrels tend to leave them alone thinking that a yellow label is a
dying leaf –and who wants to put a dying leaf that is likely to mold into your nest.

Using yellow labels on my orchid and fern collection which I grow outside in my
yard has worked well for me for many years, now.  I lose next to no labels.

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==

I so far have not had any luck growing feijoa in Florida 9b and cannot figure out why.

Would like to try a cultivar like 'Mammoth' or 'Triumph' mentioned elsewhere in this thread but all I could ever find that was available around here were unnamed seedlings (or clones of same) and they did poorly for me.

Don't know if it's the Florida climate, our sandy soil or what . . .

Thoughts...  Suggestions...  All welcomed.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

 What better selections are you having success with in FL? I am looking for a variety
that my parents can grow in Wellington.

I am presuming that is Wellington, Florida (and not New Zealand).

Well, maybe how about Parfianka?  It is reported to be good in zones 6 thru 10 and has first quality fruit.

HTH

Paul M.
==

I see the eyewall now maybe touching Sanibel to Captiva strip of island....

Pine Island look to be next a few minutes away...

Keep your thoughts/prayers out for them today... & of course all others...

One of many tv radar sites:
https://www.wptv.com/live#vidJump

It's 4:45pm WED at this writing.  Here in Tampa we're currently getting lots of rain & gusting winds up to maybe 35 mph.  IAN made landfall just north of Fort Myers about an hour ago and that area is presently feeling the worst of the storm right now.

Just checked outside here at my house in Tampa and there's a lot of wind blowing from the northeast.  But so far my tropical saplings in pots are all still upright except for one that has blown over but I am not having any flooding in my yard.

We're being told on TV right now that the winds by this evening here in Tampa may gust to 80mph with occasional squalls.  We may lose power and up 'til now we have only had short power outages lasting less than a minute where I am.  The Tampa Bay area will continue to feel the storm's effects 'til Thurdsay afternoon or evening.

IAN is supposted to head slowly (±9mph) NE passing through Lakeland/winter Haven, then Orlando by about 8pm this evening degrading to a Tropical Storm, and continuing NE on to somewhere near Daytona Beach and then out into the Atlantic.  [< Updated at 1:20am Thurs]

Hoping that everyone is hunkered down somewhere that's a safe place and that all your tropical fruit trees make it through with mnimal or no damage.

Hope this post makes it through because during the time I've been writing this there have been three short power outages that interrupted my wifi service.  Waiting now to get connected again.

Fingers X-ed!

Paul M.
==

I live in Miami so, I haven't had to deal with frost or freezes yet.  Ilama growers in Central Florida and California should have more insight on cold tolerance.

In fact, I was actually hoping that some TFF members from central Florida would chime in about their experiences with their ilama's cold tolerance, but maybe there aren't very many TFF members growing this in central Florida.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Got to wondering whether selecting material (seeds or plants) of Annona macroprophyllata from the upper elevations of its natural habitat range would provide material which would be better suited to tolerating our cool winter temperatures here in Florida (9b).

Are there any TFF members growing such 'upper elevation' ilamas in central Florida who may have noticed better cold tolerance of theirs?

Or maybe member Raul in México will chime in here with some info since he collects seeds of this species in the wild.

¡Pura Tertulia!

Paul M.
==

A18 trap it is sold in the US.

Ebay has them for sale $90.

Alas, nope.  Ebay only has the Good Nature A24 mouse and rat destroyer,
I cannot find their model A18 for squirrels listed anywhere for sale on eBay. 

Do you maybe have a link to  share that shows the Good Nature A18 for sale
on eBay, porfa Juliano?

TIA

Paul M.
==