The Tropical Fruit Forum

For those of you who use bagged mulch in your garden (weed suppression, moisture retention, appearance, breakdown into humus), Lowe's has their spring sale going on until April 17.  $2 a bag.

Mark your calendars.  Saturday, March 26.  At the South Florida Fairgrounds.  http://www.pbrarefruitcouncil.org/page-1516775

 

How big do they get in South Florida?  What's the best variety on a small tree if there is such a thing?  Can you keep them a certain size by regular pruning?  Is green sapote a better option if you're looking for a small tree?

(I borrowed that line from Chris at TT.)
Broward/PB/MD members, I have an Orange Sherbet tree (3-gal. seedling: polyembryonic) for one lucky member as a Christmas gift from me.  This is a top-tier variety.  You know you want it!  PM me.  Merry Christmas to all!

Not to disrespect anybody, but...the knucklehead tree trimmers were hard at work in my community trimming all the trees for big bucks.  "Our contract is to trim side branches only."  All trees were treated as shade trees.  They weren't even aware this was a mango tree, I guess, but it really didn't make any difference to them.  The owner of the 15-year-old tree didn't seem too upset--I was more upset than him--but he admitted it was a stupid way to trim a mango tree.

This is a seedling tree, and I was impressed with the flavor of the fruit this year.  Fortunately my next-door neighbor knows how to graft and has produced and planted two more trees (in the "no-fruit-trees-allowed" community).  I hope to share it with more people for evaluation in the future.  It's an early mango with a very bright flavor--nice sugar/acid balance.  The parent tree's fruit has a mild coconut flavor.  This mango is something completely different in flavor and appearance.

Those of you who have tasted both, how would you compare the two?  What's the difference in flavor?  Which do you consider the better-tasting mango?  What about consistency in production and disease resistance?  Is Piņa Colada a smaller, less vigorous, more manageable tree?  Are Sugarloaf trees showing moderate vigor?  Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X7ttq1nugY&t=913s

Mango and Meditation Master Satya makes a great video, featuring an awesome manatee, who steals the show!  PPK vs. LZ vs. OS vs. Mallika.  Still not the ultimate showdown, which might also include Orange Essence, Peach Cobbler, and Seacrest?

I found a jackfruit tree in a public park not too far away.  The tree is huge, and it's loaded with fruit, some quite large.  How can you tell a ripe jackfruit?  What is the normal SoFlo season for jackfruit?

So...this 55+ community has stupid rules against fruit trees but plenty of space for additional trees.  I say F 'em!  The ex-New Yorkers who currently sit on the HOA board wouldn't know a fruit tree until the fruit is actually staring them in the face (by which time there will be a new board), and I don't think the gardeners from Mexico/Central America would remove them. There are already many mature mango trees and quite a few avocado trees.  I don't see most of the avos with fruit, however.  I've already mentioned wanting to surreptitiously plant a sapodilla tree.  What other suggestions do you have?  White sapote, caimito, tamarind, mamey sapote, carambola, guava all seem like worthy candidates.  I wouldn't try to plant everything at once.  Sneak a few in per year.  See how it goes.

Can you identify the mango variety?
Tree #1




Tree #2




Tree #3




I'm guessing #2 is Keitt.

Anyone have an opinion as to which sapodilla variety would be best for its fruit quality combined with its attractiveness and size as an ornamental specimen tree for a front yard?  Should I go with Alano (which I've grown before), or is there something better?  Anything that Excalibur sells?