I likE plants!

I likE plants! Seeds

2009-09-25T11:11:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone,
I've had lots of requests. So I decided to start selling some of the seeds from fruits, palms, aroids & rare plants that I have. I can guarantee that all seeds are fresh because they all come from right here in my yard. Most of these plants are adapted to a tropical or sub-tropical environment. I will be updating and adding to the list frequently! Take a look.

http://ilikerareplants.blogspot.com/2009/09/seeds.html

If you have any questions use my contact form

http://ilikerareplants.blogspot.com/2009/09/contact.html

Thanks,
Eric

I likE plants! 2009 Virtual Tour

2009-09-09T15:45:00.007-04:00

January 2008
September 2009

I wanted to share some photos of how the yard is looking this year with my readers. I did a panoramic shot this morning & I have one from last year so you can see the progress! Then I would like to give you all a virtual tour around the yard. Some names have a link to a post I've done on that species or variety.

This years seedlings: Annona muricata, Artocarpus integer, Artocarpus odoratissimus, Eugenia aggregata, Eugenia neonitida, Eugenia stipitata, Eugenia uvalha, Garcinia intermedia, Garcinia livingstonei, Garcinia macrophylla, Garcinia xanthochymus, Lacmellea sp., Lansium domesticum, Marlierea edulis, Melicoccus bijugatus, Myrciaria vexator, Psidium friedrichsthalianum, Pouteria sapota (I'll be doing posts on these species as they grow & fruit.)

Garcinia aristata, Garcinia lateriflora in the white pots.

Annona diversifolia 'Red', Annona squamosa 'Whitman Purple', Garcinia sp.(x4), Punica granatum

Averrhoa carambola - Carambola, Star Fruit (seedling) fruit.

Artocarpus heterophyllus - Jackfruit 'Black Gold' (seedling)

Eugenia stipitata - Araçá-boi

Dendrocalamus minor var. amoenus - Ghost Bamboo

Artocarpus hypargyreus - Kwai Muk

Artocarpus hypargyreus - Kwai Muk

Annona muricata - Guanábana, Soursop tree.

Annona muricata - Guanábana, Soursop immature fruit.

Annona muricata - Guanábana, Soursop flower.

Zephyranthes spp. - Rain lilies

Annona squamosa - Sugar-apple, Sweetsop "Kampong Mauve"

Garcinia intermedia - Lemon Drop Mangosteen

Garcinia intermedia - Lemon Drop Mangosteen

Antigonon leptopus - Coral Vine

Bambusa lako - Timor Black Bamboo

Citrus aurantifolia - Key Lime

Neoregelia ampullacea 'Tigrina'

Neoregelia ampullacea 'Tigrina'

Thanks for visiting my yard!

I likE plants! 2009 Virtual Tour by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Ascocentrum garayi syn. Ascocentrum miniatum

2009-08-04T08:36:00.003-04:00

Family: Orchidaceae •
Genus: Ascocentrum •
Species: garayi •
Country of Origin: Southeast Asia •
Synonyms: Ascocentrum miniatum •
Common Names: •

I got this beauty from RF Orchids, probably three or four years ago and it has bloomed consistently every since. It seems there has been a name change since I bought it. Since RF has adopted the new name for the plants they are presently selling. I'll assume mine A. garayi as well. It gets water daily (it's in the shower) and strong filtered light. I only fertilize my orchids once in a blue moon. This is one of my favorite orchids you can see why!!!!

Ascocentrum garayi syn. Ascocentrum miniatum by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Sundy House

2009-07-13T09:21:00.017-04:00

Above is the amazing natural pool, if only I had that kind of money!!! (please click on the photos for the large view)

I went to Sundy House in Delray Beach, FL this weekend with fellow fruit enthusiasts Noel Ramos and Jeff & Maria Hagen. Sundy House is a neat little Bed and Breakfast type inn with an amazing collection of tropical fruit trees, bamboos, heliconias, gingers, and a lot more. We were lucky to have our friend Har Mahdeem (Horticulture & Aquatics Manager) give is a tour of the of the property before he started his work day. We toured the grounds and he showed us Sundy House's mature fruiting rare fruit trees, Jackfruit 'Lemon Crunch', Kwai Muk, Ilama, et al. and explained how they came to have all these mature trees on the property. When they built the B&B they searched all over the tri-county area for large specimen trees, then purchased and moved them to Sundy House. They even had to move all the lights on Swinton Ave to get one large tree onto the property. He also told me a little about the history of Sundy House. Sundy House was built in 1902 by John & Elizabeth Shaw and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has Florida’s only freshwater swimming pond, it uses a bio filter (here's a useful link I don't know which product Sundy House uses. http://www.totalhabitat.com/P&P.html) to clean the water, really an amazing feature. I didn't get to see any of the accommodations or eat in the restaurant, but in the course of my research I have seen it get rave reviews and I would highly recommend seeing the gardens, truly a hidden treasure! Take the time to check it out if you get a chance. Here's some photos I took, as well as the ones of the pool above.

Pictures of one of fruits on their two Ilama (Annona diversifolia) trees.

Humongous Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) 'Lemon Crunch' cultivar

Bambusa sp.

Bambusa sp.

Me being a clown with a very large species of bamboo

Close up of the same species as above.

Bambusa sp.

Sundy House by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Cacti Fruits & Flowers

2009-07-09T10:23:00.023-04:00

Here are photos of four edible cacti. Each species is unique. Most are native to Central and South America. They make good additions to a tropical, desert or xeriscape garden. They can be propagated by either seed or cuttings, the latter being a quicker way to have a large fruiting specimen. Best of all they all produce delicious fruits.

Cereus repandus
Cereus repandus fruit

Family: Cactaceae •
Genus: Cereus •
Species: repandus •
Country of Origin: Peru •
Common Names: Peruvian Apple Cactus, Club Cactus •

This fruit was sweet like sugar cane and refreshing sort of like having a drink of water. The edible flesh is white and contains small, edible, crunchy seeds. This is a beautiful columnar cacti up to 30' tall and it is commonly grown as ornamental. The flowers are white, large (6" in diameter) and release an intoxicatingly, heavenly fragrance at night. Here's an amazing photo of the flower.
Cereus repandus flower
Photo by T. McGovern (http://www.flickr.com/people/residualsignal/) original photo @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/residualsignal/891882091/ © 2009 All Rights Reserved

This plant likes to be watered but it needs excellent drainage so a sandy type soil would be best. It will thrive in full or partial sun. The sad news is this species is endangered in it's native habitat. (http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml)

Hylocereus undatus
Hylocereus undatus immature fruit

Hylocereus undatus fruit

Family: Cactaceae •
Genus: Hylocereus •
Species: undatus •
Country of Origin: Mexico •
Common Names: Dragon Fruit, Pitaya, Pitahaya •

This is a vining, terrestrial or epiphytic cactus that can grow up to 20' and they can quickly spread through an entire tree. It has night blooming fragrant flower that lasts only one night much like the Cereus repandus. Here's a beautiful picture of the flower.

Hylocereus undatus flower
Photo by Alonso Salazar Garibay (http://www.flickr.com/people/asac-cactus/) original photo @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/asac-cactus/3666066260/ © 2009 All Rights Reserved

Hylocereus stenopterus flower
Photo by Warren Condon (note: this is Hylocereus stenopterus which has unusual pink flowers.)© 2009 All Rights Reserved

This delicious fruit is usually eaten right out-of-hand especially if chilled and cut in half so that the flesh can be eaten with a spoon and, it is considered the best of all cacti fruits. The unopened flower bud can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. I have a nice cutting growing that I received from Bill Whitman, on the east wall of my house. It has really taken off this year I can't wait for my first fruit!!!! This is a tropical plant although it will tolerate light frost. It will grow in most soil types and will thrive when grown in a medium enriched with organic matter. Full to partial sun for optimal fruiting.

Pereskia aculeata
Pereskia aculeata flower

Family: Cactaceae •
Genus: Pereskia •
Species: aculeata •
Country of Origin: West Indies •
Common Names: Barbados Gooseberry, Grosellero •

This is the beautiful flower of a Barbados Gooseberry. To some people, the flowers are lemon-scented; others say sweet and pungent in odor. This is a scrambling vine that can grow up to 30' in a tree, a lot less though typically in cultivation. The fruit is a yellow to orange berry 2 cm in diameter, edible, containing numerous small seeds. The fruits also have remnants of the calyx on them & sometimes through them as well. When they are fully ripe they easily brush off which gives you an easy way to know when they are ready to eat. Here is a great photo where you can see the calyx growing right through the fruit.

Pereskia aculeata fruit
Photo by Jim West (http://www.flickr.com/people/guaycuyacu/) original photo @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/guaycuyacu/2656478822/© 2009 All Rights Reserved

They are sour but tasty!!! This is truly a unique cacti it belongs to a genus of unusual cacti with spiny non-succulent stems and large leaves. One of the few cacti that still use leaves for photosynthesis. I've started some from seeds they are growing like weeds. Flourishing with little or no care, the plant is drought-tolerant and suffers from over-watering.

Pereskia bleo

Pereskia bleo stem & leaves very unusual for cacti!

Pereskia bleo unopened flower
Pereskia bleo (left) & Pereskia aculeata (right) fruit.

Pereskia bleo fruit.

Family: Cactaceae •
Genus: Pereskia •
Species: bleo •
Country of Origin: Tropical America •
Common Names: Rose Cactus, Wax Rose •

This genus is unlike most other cacti because they have true leaves. Pereskia has now been determined to be the ancestral genus from which all other cacti evolved. This species can grow up to 9 feet tall and has amazing red, rose like flowers. The fruits are oddly shaped as you can see above. Sour and mucilaginous, but I found them tasty!

update 07-22-2009: I just added some new beautiful photos after getting proper permission to use them.

Cacti Fruits & Flowers by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

'Keitt' Mango Chutney

2009-06-26T08:27:00.005-04:00

So I made and canned some mango chutney this week, it's a good way to use up the surplus I have. I used Keitt mangoes from my neighbors tree. They are a good mango for chutney because of their firm nature. The recipe I used is from the book 'Ft Lauderdale Recipes' which is a reprint from the 60's that the Ft. Lauderdale Historical Society published. I canned the mango chutney so when mango season is over I can still get a nice mango taste. Finding canning jars down here in South Florida was a challenge in it's self, I looked everywhere and finally found them at the third Publix I went to. I wanted to share this great recipe I used naturally I embellished it slightly as I always do with recipes to suite my personal taste.

Mango Chutney (10 pints) (original recipe by Mrs. Henry O. Patton)
2 cups vinegar
6 cups sugar
2 quarts peeled or cubed mangoes ripe but firm
4 chili peppers(I used a habanero)
1/2 cup chopped green ginger root(I only had ground)
2 cloves of garlic
2 large onions, sliced
3 cups seedless raisins
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound slivered almonds(I omitted these)
juice of 2 medium sized limes

1. In large kettle boil vinegar and sugar for about 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients and simmer for about one hour or until fruit is tender.
2. Spoon into hot sterilized jars and seal.
3. Put sealed jars in a canner with 1 inch of water covering the jars, bring to a boil and process for at least 20 minutes(and no more than 30 minutes) Adjust times for higher altitudes here's a great link with processing times, recipes and more http://www.freshpreserving.com/
4. Remove jars and cool in a draft free area, check seals after a few hours and jars that don't seal should be immediately refrigerated.
5. This chutney can be used on chicken or pork especially my favorite Jamaican Jerk Pork it's sweetness compliments the spicy pork perfectly. Here's more photo's of the process

1. Cooking the chutney.

2. After a thorough hand wash with hot water and soap. Keep the jars warm until time to fill it helps soften the seals too (about a half hour before filling).

3. Six out of six all of my jars sealed properly I've been 100% so far.

4. The finished product only five jars left. I gave one away already! That's the green mango chutney I made earlier in the year on the left.

'Keitt' Mango Chutney by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Making Ristras

2009-06-15T10:31:00.006-04:00

This is my first try at making a ristra. I'm making these as a way to preserve all the extra peppers I end up with! I used Habaneros here, but I grow many different varieties so it should be fun to see all the different kinds I end up with. I used a needle with thread but I think they method they describe on the University of New Mexico's Website would be a lot more effective. Now whenever I need peppers for recipes I'm making, I'll have all that I need right in the kitchen!

Eric

History of the ristras

From mid-September until frost, green chile matures and turns deep red. New Mexicans have traditionally harvested and strung red chile into colorful strings called ristras. The chile is allowed to dry in New Mexico's warm sun, then is stored--still on the ristra string--for use in various tantalizing food dishes during the winter.

When making chile ristras, select freshly picked, mature, red chile pods. If the chile still has a slight green coloration, put it in a cool, dark, but well ventilated place for two or three days. This will help it finish ripening and turn it a bright red.

Green chile is not acceptable for making ristras. Because it has not reached maturity, green chile will only shrivel and turn a dull orange color as it dries.

Allow red chile pods to set for two or three days after picking. This allows the stems to lose some of their moisture. In the ristra tying process, stems often break if they are too fresh. Good ventilation is important in the final drying steps. If fresh chile is bought in closed containers or plastic bags, take the chile out of the container or bag to avoid spoilage.
Excerpt from The University of New Mexico Circular 533

How to make a ristras

Materials needed
3/4 to 1 bushel red chile
Lightweight cotton string (package string)
Baling wire or twine

Begin by tying clusters of three chile pods on the lightweight string. To tie clusters, hold three chiles by their stems, wrap the string around the stems twice, bring the string up between two of the chiles, and pull tight.

Make a half hitch with the string and drop it over all three stems; pull the string tight. Pick up three more chile pods, and, in the same manner, tie another cluster about three inches above the first cluster. Continue until there are several clusters of three chiles, or until the weight makes it hard to handle. Break the string and start again; continue tying until all the chile has been used.

Suspend the baling wire or baling twine from a nail in a rafter or from a door knob. Make a loop in the loose end of the wire (twine) to keep chile clusters from slipping off. Some people like to use a wooden peg or dowel at the end of the wire or twine to keep chiles in place. Beginning with the first three chile pods (one cluster) tied to the package string, braid the chiles around the wire (twine).

The process is like braiding hair-the wire serves as one strand and stems of two chiles in the cluster are the other two strands. As the chile is braided, push down in the center to make sure of a tight wrap. Position the chiles to protrude in different directions. If this is not done, empty spaces can develop along one side of the ristra. Continue braiding until all the chile clusters are used.

Hang the completed ristra in full sun, either on a clothesline or from outdoor rafters where there is good ventilation. The chile can turn moldy and rot without proper air circulation for final drying. This would cause discoloration, which detracts from the ristra's natural beauty and, naturally, would preclude using the chile as food.
Excerpt from The University of New Mexico Circular 533

Making Ristras by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Garcinia spp.

2009-05-31T08:00:00.002-04:00

Garcinia intermedia

first two photos are of my G. intermedia seedling

large shrub-like specimen G. intermedia @ the RFVC 208 garden

female? (not a 100% on this) flowers of G. intermedia @ the RFVC 208 garden

G. intermedia fruits, seeds & leaves.

Family: Clusiaceae •
Genus: Garcinia •
Species: intermedia (Pittier)Hammel •
Country of Origin: Central & South America •
Synonyms: Rheedia edulis •
Common Names: Lemon Drop Mangosteen, Mameyito •

I transplanted this last year and it has struggled every since. I feel terrible, it looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree! It also had a magnesium deficiency which I've since taken care of. You can see the deeper green coming back. This fruit reminds me of a childhood favorite Lemonhead™ candy. I can't wait till it fruits. It could be a while because it is not happy with me!
Update 2-16-2009 I have three more seedlings growing now!!!

The elegant, erect tree, ranging up to 100' (note from Eric: I'm not sure the ultimate height for this tree is correct as information varies, the one at the RFVC 208 garden is barely 10' high, so for now I'll stick with J. Morton, but I'd venture to say it is more like 20' or 30' high ultimately) has copious gummy, yellow latex and opposite, short-petioled, thick, leathery, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-lanceolate leaves, 3 3/16" to 6" long, 3/4" to 2" wide, or much larger, with numerous lateral veins conspicuous on both surfaces; dark-green above, pale or brownish on the underside. Young foliage is reddish. The small, greenish-white or ivory flowers, densely clustered below the leaves, are 4-petalled, the male with 25 to 30 stamens, the perfect with 10 to 12.

The fruit is oval or oblong, 3/4" to 1 1/4" long, smooth, orange or yellow, the thin, soft skin easily peeled. There is a little flesh, sweet or acid, adhering to the 1 or 2 seeds.
excerpt from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/bakupari_ars.html

Garcinia livingstonei

first three photos are of my G. livingstonei seedlings

female flowers of G. livingstonei @ the RFVC 208 garden

male flowers of G. livingstonei @ the RFVC 208 garden

G. livingstonei fruits & seeds

Family: Clusiaceae •
Genus: Garcinia •
Species: livingstonei (T. Anderson) •
Country of Origin: Africa •
Synonyms: •
Common Names: Imbe, African Mangosteen •

All these Garcinia spp. are grown from seeds. They start off real slowwwwwwwwww, but they're growing good now. Another tasty Garcinia sp. Definitely has a lemony flavor like most of these species described here.

Even without their fruits, these highly ornamental trees are good to have around. Seen in profile, they frequently divide near the ground into three or four upright, outward-curving trunks that carry short, stiff, lateral branches. They can reach 30' in height, but are normally much less. The new shoots grow in whorls (verticils) of three and emerge at an acute angle from the stem, giving the tree its characteristic asymmetry and crooked form.(1) Leaves usually 3 in a whorl (may be 4 or opposite), variable in shape but usually egg- or lance-shaped, generally 2 1/2"–4 1/2" × 1 1/4"–2 1/4" , blue-green with whitish veins, waxy. Flowers in groups of 5–15 in leaf axils on old wood, greenish, whitish or yellow, scented, male and bisexual flowers of different structure.(2)

The fruit looks like a small plum: orange in color and round or ovoid in shape but it has a point at the bottom, 3/4" to 1 1/4" long and about the same in diameter. The skin—thin, smooth, glossy, and leathery tough—separates easily from the flesh. The pulp itself is yellow and watery, with a pleasing flavor—sweet, and not unlike a perfect peach. In the center are one or two seeds which, unlike its relatives, are not reported as eaten.(1)

A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care. It is mainly grown as an ornamental fruit, but is sometimes eaten. The juice is known for staining very badly. Mostly eaten fresh, it is also used in drinks. It can be grown in southern Florida. Both a male and female plant are needed in order to obtain fruit, although both sexes can be grafted onto the same plant to achieve the same effect.(3)
excerpts from
(1)Lost Crops of Africa Volume III
(2)http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/garcinliving.htm
(3)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_livingstonei

Garcinia madruno

first three photos are of my small G. madruno seedlings

last two photos G. madruno fruits © Copyright Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 2003-2006

Family: Clusiaceae •
Genus: Garcinia •
Species: madruno (Planch. & Triana) •
Country of Origin: Costa Rica, Peru •
Synonyms: Rheedia acuminata, Rheedia madruno •
Common Names: Charichuela, Madroño •

I got these seeds from Bill Whitman before he passed away. "Mr. Whitman was a founder of the Rare Fruit Council International, based in Miami, and was its first president, from 1955 to 1960. "(1) His legacy lives on with these plants and I'm sure hundreds of others. They started slow but they're taking off this year. This fruit tastes like lemony cotton-candy. It's possibly the best fruit I've ever tasted. I can't wait for it to fruit!!!!

The tree is erect, lush, compact, with pyramidal or nearly round crown, 20' to 65' high, and has much gummy yellow latex. The opposite leaves are elliptic to oblong, wedge-shaped at the base, rounded or pointed at the apex, 2 3/8" to 8" long, 3/4" to 3" wide; dark green above, paler beneath, with numerous veins conspicuous on both surfaces and merging into a thick marginal vein. The fragrant male and female flowers are borne on separate trees in clusters of up to 14 in the leaf axils; have 4 re-flexed, pale-yellow petals; the male, 25 to 30 light-yellow stamens.

The fruit is round or ellipsoidal, sometimes with a prominent nipple at each end; 2" to 3" in long, with thick, leathery, warty, greenish-yellow rind containing a deep-yellow, resinous latex. The white, translucent, juicy, sweet-acid, aromatic pulp adheres tightly to the 1 to 3 ovate or oblong seeds which are about 3/4" in long.(2)
excerpts from
(1)http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/us/04whitman.html
(2)http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/bakupari_ars.html

My friend Chris Hind has some great photos of Garcinia spp. at his site here
Lets figure out the Garcinia's

last updated on 05-31-2009

Garcinia spp. by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Eugenia spp.

2009-05-31T07:00:00.004-04:00

Cherry of the Rio Grande

Family: Myrtaceae •
Genus: Eugenia •
Species: aggregata (Kiaersk) •
Country of Origin: Brazil •
Common Names: Cherry of the Rio Grande •

This is the species that is most like a cherry (Prunus spp.) This one I grew from seeds from the RFVC. It is in the ground now and growing fast. I can't wait for fruit. All the following species are native to Brazil. These cherry like fruits are each unique and super tasty.

Eugenia aggregata is a small evergreen tree or large shrub which commonly grows to about 15 feet. However, it may grow as high as 30 feet under favorable conditions. It has an upright, compact habit of growth and is very attractive, especially when in bloom. The smooth, glossy, dark green leaves are narrow elliptic, 2½ to 3 inches long and are borne on short, grooved petioles. The white flowers are solitary and are borne in the axils of opposite bracts from March to May.

The fruit is oblong to obovate, ¾ to 1 inch long, with a persistent calyx at the apex. The skin is thin and dark red or purple in color. The juicy flesh has a good, subacid flavor. It contains none or 1 to 2 white, rounded seeds, about ¼ inch in diameter. The fruit matures in April to June, about 3 weeks after the flowers open. Fruiting may occur in the third year after planting under favorable conditions but it often takes longer.
excerpt from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG044

Ubaias
first photo by Lucia Passos

Family: Myrtaceae •
Genus: Eugenia •
Species: luschnathiana (Klotzch) •
Country of Origin: Brazil •
Common Names: Ubaias, Uvalha do Campo, Pitomba (there is some confusion with this name as it's used for
Talisia esculenta as well) •

This is the one I like the best orange fleshed and it tastes sort of like apricots. I bought this plant at a RFVC plant sale. I've had flowers but no fruit yet. It flowered twice so far this year, since I moved it to more sunlight.

Eugenia luschnathiana is a small, spreading evergreen tree or shrub which may attain a height of 25 to 30 feet. The tree has a compact growth habit with dense foliage and is quite attractive, especially when in fruit. The leathery leaves are elliptical lanceolate, about 3 inches long and are a glossy deep green color on the upper surface and light green below. The showy, white flowers, up to 1 inch across, appear from April to June.

The fruit is broadly obovoid, about an inch long, with the apex crowned by 4 or 5 green sepals, about ½ inch long. The thin skin is a bright orange yellow. The soft, melting, juicy flesh is orange in color and aromatic, sweet to sub-acid in flavor. The fruit contains 1 to several seeds attached to one side of the seed cavity. The fruit matures from May to June and sometimes there is a light crop in the fall. The pitomba usually begins fruiting in about the fourth year after planting.
excerpt from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG044

Grumichama
first photo from http://www.hawaiifruit.net/12trees.html

Family: Myrtaceae •
Genus: Eugenia •
Species: brasiliensis (Skeels) •
Country of Origin: Brazil •
Common Names: Grumichama •

This one I grew from seeds from the RFVC. It tastes like a cherry with hints of clove and spices.
They are all flourishing and I expect fruit this year! Everyone who tasted this at the RFVC sale this year bought a plant to take home.

Eugenia brasiliensis is a large evergreen shrub or small tree which may grow to a maximum height of 20 to 25 feet. It is very attractive in appearance with an upright, compact growth habit. The leathery leaves are oval to obovate, about 3 to 4 inches long by 2 inches wide, reddish when young, becoming glossy, deep green. The showy white flowers, up to 1 inch across, are borne in the leaf axils and are produced in large numbers on flushes of new growth in early spring.

The fruit is globose to oblate, ½ to 1 inch in diameter, has persistent green sepals at the apex and is borne on long, slender stems, often in clusters. The thin, delicate skin is scarlet to purplish black. The soft, melting flesh is sweet with an excellent flavor. The seeds are round, hemispherical, or angular, depending on the number present. The fruit matures in April to May, about a month after flowering. It takes 2 to 3 years to bear fruit from seed.
excerpt from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG044

I grow Surinam Cherry - E. uniflora as well but figured it to common to include.
I'm also germinating Pera do Campo - Eugenia klotzschiana, Pitangatuba - Eugenia neonitida and Araça-boi - Eugenia stipitata I'll add them to this post when I have them grown out!!

updated 05-31-2009

Eugenia spp. by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

RFVC VIP Tasting and Yard Tour

2009-05-25T13:22:00.005-04:00

Imbe - Garcinia livingstonei, Lemon Drop Mangosteen - Garcinia intermedia, Caimito - Chrysophyllum caimito, Mango "Phimsen Mun" - Mangifera indica , Jackfruit(dried) - Artocarpus heterophyllus, Biriba - Rollinia deliciosa

I met with some friends who are fellow RFVC members yesterday and had a rare fruit tasting and a tour of yards, we had all that you see here to sample plus Passion fruits Passiflora edulis, "Glenn" and " Zill?" mangoes, Giant Granadilla Passiflora quadrangularis, and Custard Apple Annona reticulata and I got some new plants for my yard in the process from a very gracious host!!! Here's the list of my newest acquisitions: Blue Grape - Myrciaria vexator, Cas Guava - Psidium friedrichshalianum, Vietnamese Pomegranate - Punica granatum, White Sapote "SES 2" - Casimiroa edulis, Giant Granadilla - Passiflora quadrangularis, Ilama "Red" - Annona diversifolia, Malabar Spinach -Basella alba, a beautiful Cassia sp., Biriba - Rollinia deliciosa (seeds) & Custard Apple "Red" - Annona reticulata (seeds).

I can sum it all up in one easy word, YUM!!!!!!
E

Annona muricata Soursop

2009-05-06T08:30:00.010-04:00

06-30-2009: It's turning slightly yellow so it's harvest time. It will be ready to eat in a day or two. Yummy, I can't wait to eat it and it is just in time for my birthday(what a great present from nature) and the fourth of July!! Pictures of the inside coming soon!!!

06-28-2009: Almost time! Growing Soursop fruit (all photos are of my tree )

06-16-2009: It's getting bigger!!!

05-09-2009: Immature fruit growing fast!

05-09-2009: Well camouflaged immature fruit.

Family: Annonaceae •
Genus: Annona •
Species: Muricata (L.) •
Country of Origin: South America •
Common Names: Guanábana, Soursop •

This fruit is popular in Jamaica, the Caribbean and South America where the fruit is eaten raw, made into ice cream or a favorite of many, a smoothie made with the pulp, sweetened condensed milk and ice! This is a relative to the Sugar Apple and the Cherimoya. I've only had one fruit make it to the table so far but it will get more fruitful as it gets older. Update 06-16-2009: My tree is doing amazing this year, I have another fruit on the way and the tree is flowering like crazy!!

Soursop is a small tree, usually slender in habit and rarely more than 20 feet high. Mine is about 15 feet high and ten feet in diameter. The leaves are obovate to elliptic in form, commonly 3 to 6 inches long, acute, leathery in texture, glossy above and glabrous beneath. Deeply green with proper nutrition.

The flowers are large, the three exterior petals ovate-acute, valvate, and fleshy, the interior ones smaller and thinner, rounded, with the edges overlapping, are creme-yellow outside and light yellow inside and lightly fragrant.

The fruit is the largest of the Annonas; specimens 5 pounds in weight are not uncommon and much larger ones have been reported. More typically though in South Florida, about twelve inches long and six to eight inches in diameter. It is ovoid, heart-shaped, or oblong-conical in form, deep green in color, with numerous short fleshy spines on the surface. It starts to turn yellowish-green upon ripening. The skin has a rank, bitter flavor. The flesh is white, somewhat cottony in texture, juicy, and highly aromatic. Numerous brown seeds, much like those of the Cherimoya, are embedded in it. The flavor suggests that of the pineapple and the mango. Although it is totally unique in itself.

Alphonse DeCandolle says that the Soursop "is wild in the West Indies; at least its existence has been proved in the islands of Cuba, Santo Domingo, Jamaica, and several of the smaller islands."Safford states that it is of tropical American origin. The historian Gonzalo Hernandez de Oviedo, in his "Natural History of the Indies," written in 1526, describes the Soursop at some length, and he mentions having seen it growing abundantly in the West Indies as well as on the mainland of South America. At the present day it is perhaps more popular in Cuba than in any other part of the tropics. In Mexico it occurs in many places, and the fruit is often seen in the markets. It is also grown in the tropical portions of South America. This is a tropical tree. It is difficult to grow in South Florida but not impossible. If you find a nice sheltered location, give it lots of water, and organic fertilizer from time to time you should have success. excerpts taken from Manual Of Tropical And Subtropical Fruits by Wilson Popenoe

10-01-2008: Three pictures of my tree with a mineral deficiency that is quite obvious and since rectified with organic fertilizer, look at the leaves in the first photo!

12-18-2008: Some smaller flower buds

12-18-2008: Flowers, unusual, beautiful and lightly fragrant

04-19-2009 Immature Fruit

06-16-2009: See above for new pictures of this fruit

Annona muricata Soursop by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

New Photos from The RFVC 208 Gardens

2009-05-05T06:13:00.003-04:00

A picture is worth a thousand words right? Here's some recent pictures from the RFVC 208 garden! (p.s. you can click on the highlighted species for more information)

Enjoy
Eric
Lemon Drop Mangosteen (Garcinia intermedia) - Immature Fruits & Flowers

Imbe (Garcinia livingstonei) - Immature Fruits

White Mulberry (Morus alba)

Green Sapote (Pouteria viridis)

Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata)

Custard Apple 'San Pablo' (Annona reticulata)

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Collard Greens (Brassica oleracea)

Hot Peppers (Capsicum chinense)

Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

New Photos from The RFVC 208 Gardens by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Tropical Fruit Inventory Update Part 2

2009-04-14T16:29:00.007-04:00

Here are some of the new species I have acquired mainly through some very gracious friends!!! Eugenia klotzschiana, Eugenia neonitida, Eugenia stipitata, Myrciaria vexator and Plinia edulis and I also bought a Garcinia aristata from the RFVC of Broward as well. Here is my updated list & wish list http://ilikerareplants.blogspot.com/2008/12/tropical-fruit-inventory.html
More to come as these new species flower and fruit.

Here's a link to a picture of each fruit with a short description in Portuguese.Use a translator such as Bablefish (http://babelfish.yahoo.com/) if you would like to learn more about each plant)

http://frutasraras.sites.uol.com.br/eugeniaklo.htm (Eugenia klotzschiana)
http://frutasraras.sites.uol.com.br/eugenianeonitida.htm (Eugenia neonitida)
http://frutasraras.sites.uol.com.br/eugeniastipitata.htm (Eugenia stipitata)
http://frutasraras.sites.uol.com.br/pliniaedulis.htm (Plinia edulis)

and here's a cool photo of the Myrciaria vexator from the CRFG (California Rare Fruit Growers)
(http://www.crfg.org/)

https://www.crfg.org/g2/v/Fruit_Shoot_2008/Myrciaria+vexator+-+Blue+Jaboticaba+by+Carlos+Velazco.JPG.html (Myrciaria vexator)

Shade Tee Pees

2009-03-29T11:51:00.004-04:00

So I wanted to move my Imbe (Garcinia livingstonei) seedlings last week. And, I needed a way to protect them from full sunlight to give them a chance to get established. I could have built some elaborate structure, but instead I employed a method that I first saw my friend Jay's in-laws use, you can see the pictures here http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ohiojay/Our%20land%20in%20Thailand/Garden023.jpg. This may be a common practice used in Thailand and Southeast Asia, but I have never seen it used here, and I wanted to share it with you. What I did was cut some dead bamboo out of my stands and stripped them clean. If you don't grow bamboo you can buy bamboo stakes at Home Depot or use straight branches from something that you do grow. I cut them into about eight foot lengths. I used three pieces on each plant at the bottom I have about a three foot diameter. I only drove the bottom of the stakes in about a foot. I pulled the top together and tied it with twine. I covered the "tee-pee" with screening or shade cloth which I tied at the top with some twine, as well. They are very sturdy at this point. Once the plant becomes established I'll be able to remove the "tee-pee" and use it for the next tree I plant out! This little bit of extra attention may be just the boost some of these tropical fruits need to excel!!!

Jackfruit Seedlings Planting Out

2009-03-22T14:13:00.005-04:00

These are the Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds that I started back in November. I did a post in January about starting these seeds, you can read that post here http://ilikerareplants.blogspot.com/2009/01/jackfruit-seedlings.html Back to the seedlings though, they are about 24 inches tall with a nicely developed root system. I dug a deep hole about 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep and soaked the hole.. I mixed all of that material in my wheelbarrow then built the hole back up to a proper depth and planted my seedlings. I gave each seedling a nice shower of water and, using bamboo stakes from my bamboo plants I secured each little plant. I planted three trees in a nice triangle shape that should look really nice as the trees mature and, I hope to increase fruit set by having more than one tree. I'll be feeding them an organic fertilizer once they get established and I plan to mulch, too. I hope to have fruits in less then five years, let's see how well I can grow!!! I'll be documenting their progress with photos.

If You Have Dogs or Cats....

2009-03-22T10:24:00.001-04:00

PLEASE PASS IT ON ~ EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PET, YOU SURELY KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES.

Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.

Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'

This Snopes site gives the following information: http://www.snopes. com/critters/ crusader/ cocoamulch. asp

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine' . It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. . A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

PLEASE GIVE THIS THE WIDEST DISTRIBUTION

Tropical Fruit Inventory Update

2009-03-15T15:37:00.004-04:00

I acquired more rare fruit species two more Garcinia spp.; G. macrophylla & G. lateriflora, as well as two Psidium spp.; P. friedrichsthalianum & P.littorale. I'll be adding more species as the year goes on stay tuned. Here is the complete list. http://ilikerareplants.blogspot.com/2008/12/tropical-fruit-inventory.html

Combretum rotundifolium

2009-03-14T09:04:00.004-04:00

Family: Combretaceae •
Genus: Combretum •
Species: rotundifolium •
Country of Origin: South America •
Synonyms: Combretum aubletii •
Common Names: Monkey Brush •

This is one of my favorite vines. I picked this up at a Fairchild plant sale. It blooms in late winter/early spring here in South Florida. It has amazing flowers and stunning foliage. It is a semi-deciduous climber that can grow up to 20' without trimming. Monkey Brush does best with fertile well drained soil and thrives in areas like South Florida that have seasonal dry winters. Full to partial sun. The beautiful leaves change color as they mature from red to yellow and finally green, they are typically 5 to 6 inches long and roughly 2 to 3 inches wide. The flowers are red with long yellow stamens that turn orange then red and are about 6 to 8 inches long. This plant is cold sensitive and I lost a lot of leaves this year when it got down to into the thirties, but it is putting on new growth since it started warming up, and the cold didn't affect the flower buds that were forming. I'd highly recommend this vine to anyone who lives in a frost free area. Zones 10-11

Combretum rotundifolium by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

RFVC Annual Spring Sale

2009-03-10T21:03:00.004-04:00

It's time for our Spring Sale again and it's open to the public! The sale will be held at our 208 research garden. 5105 SW 208th Lane Southwest Ranches, FL 33332 Now is your chance to buy those rare fruit trees & vegetables that you've been looking for all year! Jams, Jellies & Breads featuring tropical fruits will also be available. Dates are Saturday, May 16th, 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM & Sunday, May 17th, 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Cash & Checks and Mastercard & Visa will be accepted. Don't forget we also have a sale in the fall dates TBA.
Click here for a list of plants available at the sale

Directions to our 208 research garden from Google Maps

Bamboo Solitary Bee House

2009-03-09T12:04:00.005-04:00

I was inspired by my friends at the Texas Rare Fruit Growers tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/txrarefruitgrowers/ to start using my old bamboo to make houses for our native solitary bees ie: carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp. & Ceratina spp.) and leaf-cutter bees (Megachilidae spp.) We have quite a few native solitary bees here in Florida. I'm hoping they'll use these tubes as their home! We also have orchid bees (Euglossa viridissima) here now and I know they are solitary bees. I wonder if they will use these houses too? The leaf-cutter bees are good pollinators so I'm encouraging them to live in my yard. Here is how I'm making my solitary bee houses. I used some of my old bamboo canes to make the individual "homes" I cut them into 8" lengths and used cotton string to bundle them together, I'm trying to keep thing natural. I also cleaned up the entrance to the home by hand with a countersink tool. I then tied the houses to another larger piece of bamboo. I've angled the bundle down so the houses don't hold water they need to stay dry. I'll mount them in the yard as soon as I acquire the other parts I want to use! I hope to have pictures of my finished product and inhabited nests real soon!

Here are more articles on ways to construct your bee house using different kinds of materials that may more readily available in your area

Nests for Native Bees pdf - http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/nest_factsheet1.pdf
Easy to build “Bee Condo” for native bees! - http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/beebox.shtml
Make a Solitary Bee House - http://www.foxleas.com/bee_house.htm

Bamboo Solitary Bee House by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Garcinia spp. part 2

2009-02-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

I did an earlier post on some of the Garcinia spp. that I'm growing. Here is another species, the tree and flowers are at the RFVC 208 garden and the fruit Murray C. gave me to try. It was tart and delicious. I haven't tasted a Garcinia spp. that I haven't liked yet! I've already planted the four seeds that came from the fruit. I hope every single one germinates. I've also added some new pictures to my earlier post (click on the link above) mainly pictures of the flowers. I wanted to add that there is a lot of confusion on many of the Garcinia spp. and with the small amount of information available it is doubtful that anyone is an expert on Garcinia spp. I spent a whole day making sure I have these properly identified. If you think I've made an error let me know. We only learn through our mistakes. Also, I'll be updating this post as my G. macrophylla seedlings grow and begins to bears it's fruits.

Garcinia macrophylla

first two photos G. macrophylla flowers @ RFVC 208 garden

large specimen G. macrophylla @ RFVC 208 garden

G. macrophylla fruits @ 208 garden

Family: Clusiaceae •
Genus: Garcinia •
Species: macrophylla (Mart.) •
Country of Origin: South America •
Synonyms: Garcinia gardneriana, Rheedia benthamiana, Rheedia gardneriana, Rheedia macrophylla •
Common Names: Bacuriparí •

The Bacuriparí is native to the Amazonian lowlands, where it grows as an understory tree. The tree can grow to 30', forming an attractive, pyramidal canopy (Campbell 1983). Trees are propagated by seed and may require 7 to 10 years to come into production. Fruit are variable in shape, averaging 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter and 2" to 2 1/2" in length. The fruit have a thick, hard outer wall containing a bitter latex, as in bacurí. Inside the hard shell is a white, creamy flesh surrounding 3 to 4 large seeds. The flesh is scanty in comparison to Mangosteen or Bacurí. The Bacuriparí is outstanding because it grows and produces a significant crop in shaded conditions (Campbell 1983). The trees are also tolerant of full sun and wind exposure, making them more adaptable to varied climates than the Mangosteen. There is considerable variation in fruit quality among Bacuriparí from different regions of South America, and there may be different species involved.
excerpt from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-431.html#Guttiferae

The tree is native to humid forests of Surinam and Brazil to northern Peru. The fruit is not much esteemed but widely eaten and sold in native markets. The bacuripari was introduced into Florida in 1962 and planted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center in Homestead, at Fairchild Tropical Garden and in several private gardens. One tree fruited in 1970, another in 1972, and the latter has continued to bear. Young specimens have been killed by drops in temperature to 29º to 30º F (-1.67º--1.11º C). Older trees have been little harmed by 27º to 28º F (-2.78º--2.22º C). The tree is accustomed to light-to moderate-shade. Seeds have remained viable for 2 to 3 weeks but require several weeks to germinate.

In Brazil, the tree blooms from August to November and the fruits mature from December to May. In Florida, flowers appear in April and May and a second time in August and September, and the fruits are in season from May to August and again in October and November. Some 15-to 20-year-old trees have produced 100 to 200 fruits when there have been no adverse weather conditions.
excerpt from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/bakupari_ars.html

Garcinia spp. part 2 by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Costa Rican Guava Psidium friedrichsthalianum

2009-02-07T13:02:00.002-05:00

Family: Myrtaceae •
Genus: Psidium •
Species: friedrichsthalianum •
Country of Origin: Central & South America •
Common Names: Costa Rican Guava, Cas •

This is the best guava I've tasted to date. It's sour!!! It has a wonderful taste similar to Pineapple Guava Feijoa sellowiana. It is an attractive tree, just look at the red stems and petioles. It ultimately can reach 35 feet. The white flowers are fragrant and typical of this genus. This tree is susceptible to cold.

here's a little more info not much out there on this species
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/costa_rican_guava.html

Costa Rican Guava Psidium friedrichsthalianum by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Guava Psidium guajava 'Ruby x Supreme' 10.40

2009-02-05T11:59:00.003-05:00

Family: Myrtaceae •
Genus: Psidium •
Species: guajava •
Country of Origin: Central America •
Common Names: Guava 'Ruby x Supreme' 10.40 •

This is a really nice hybrid sweet & delicious and it has a thick enough skin to keep out fruit fly larvae. This shows how important selection and hybridization can be for a successful crop.

Guava is a small tree reaching 33 feet. The trunk is highly ornamental and leaves are aromatic. With beautiful faintly fragrant white flowers, borne singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils, are 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, with 4 or 5 white petals which are quickly shed, and a prominent tuft of perhaps 250 white stamens tipped with pale-yellow anthers.

The fruits are typically round, ovoid or pear-shaped and exuded a musky odor when ripe.

Guava is very adaptable and it will do well in dry and humid climates. But it is not cold hardy and may die back to the ground with temperatures below 26°F

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
Calories	36-50
Moisture	77-86 g
Crude Fiber	2.8-5.5 g
Protein	0.9-1.0 g
Fat	0.1-0.5 g
Ash	0.43-0.7 g
Carbohydrates	9.5-10 g
Calcium	9.1-17 mg
Phosphorus	17.8-30 mg
Iron	0.30-0.70 mg
Carotene (Vitamin A)	200-400 I.U.
Thiamine	0.046 mg
Riboflavin	0.03-0.04 mg
Niacin	0.6-1.068 mg
Vitamin B3	40 I.U.
Vitamin G4	35 I.U.

*Analyses of whole ripe guavas.

from 'Fruit of Warm Climates' Julia F. Morton

Guava Psidium guajava 'Ruby x Supreme' 10.40 by Eric Bronson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.flickr.com

Top 100 Botany Blogs

2009-02-03T18:29:00.003-05:00

I found out today my blog has been featured on the Top 100 Botany Blogs website. I'm Honored!!!
Anyway, I encourage you to check out this website. It features tons of good stuff.

http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/uncategorized/top-100-botany-blogs/

Climate Change and Tropical Fruits in South Florida

2009-02-01T16:23:00.003-05:00

This is the article I wrote for this months RFVC of Broward County newsletter.

I’m not a climatologist or a meteorologist, but it doesn’t take one to realize it is getting warmer. Especially if you were born here or have lived here thirty or more years like me. How will this affect a rare fruit grower you ask? Well, we know that Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) and Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) prefer a more temperate climate. Could our beloved Lychee (Litchi chinensis), Longan (Dimocarpus longan) and Mango (Mangifera indica) trees range further north. Could fruits like Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) and Durian (Durio zibethinus) eventually grow in South Florida? Unfortunately, most of the real good research was done in the 50’s and 60’s and most of today’s books and websites that claim to be authorities only regurgitate information from the one good source. “Fruits of Warm Climates” Julia F. Morton (1987) All of the “experts” say it can’t be done. I say more research is needed. Mr. Bill Whitman grew and fruited Mangosteen, Rambutan, et.al at his home in Bal Harbour, FL granted it is a protected area with the ocean on one side and the inter-coastal waterway on the other. A recent study by NASA showed that wetlands stay warmer than developed areas and wetland restoration is already happening in South Florida.(1) Could this give us the buffer we need to grow these species? Botanists developed a spray that, when misted over a plant, will help it endure temperatures 2.2 to 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit colder than it would without the spray, depending upon the species. The spray, called Freeze-Pruf, reduces the freezing point of water inside the tissues of the plant by means of a mixture that combines five ingredients in a water-based spray formula. One spray works for four to six weeks, lowering the temperature at which damage first becomes noticeable as well as the temperature that would normally kill the plant.(2) During my research for this article I have discovered we only have really cold temperatures in four months November, December, January and February, with the worst temps in January and February. According to the records I researched, it has dropped below 32°f twenty-five times in the last one hundred years and out of those seventeen were before 1980.(3) So cold temperatures don’t happen very often. It is my opinion that more work needs to be done on selection of varieties that are more tolerant of cold. Experiments like these aren’t for an average grower. However, some of us, in the spirit of Bill Whitman & Julia Morton, have the patience to try our hand at it. As our climate changes we need to continue to have trials of each of these species. I’m already recording daily highs, lows and rainfall. Also, I’m keeping records of damage caused by the cold and I encourage you to do so as well. I challenge all you rare fruit fans to try your hand at growing rare fruit trees you thought weren’t possible, or something that is truly rare. I’ll share some of these species in my next article.

(1)http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/wetland_freeze.html
(2)http://physicsnow.net/dbis/stories/2008/18130.html
(3)http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/localdata.php

References;
Freeze Damage to Tropical Fruit Trees in 1940 S. J. Lynch
Freeze Damage to Tropical Fruit Trees in 1957-58 R. Bruce Ledin
Freeze Damage to Tropical Fruit Trees in 1977 C. W. Campbell, R. J. Knight, N. L. Zareski

Freeze Protection of Tropical Fruit Crops 2008 Dr. Jonathan H. Crane