Caloosa Rare Fruit Exchange Presentation
Thanks for the invitation to speak tonight. I’ve been here before and always
found this to be a fun group. I have some cards to hand out that have contact
information should anyone want them. You will find both telephone and internet
information.
Why do we need to replace our citrus? The State’s canker eradication program
is one example. This program is an ineffective reaction to canker and the
Citrus lobby’s desire to protect commercial groves. Perhaps if the program
had been implemented and administered properly, it would not have failed to
stop the disease’s spread. Unfortunately, I have seen cases, where no lawsuit
was involved, where diseased trees were not removed for 4 months or more.
Healthy trees are removed, eventually, along with the diseased with no compensation
to the owners, and only the barest concern for civil rights.
If the current eradication program was going to work, then canker would
have been eradicated already. The program has failed, canker continues to
spread, and the powers that be continue to destroy healthy trees with the
diseased.
As if canker (Xanthomonas citri ex Hasse) was not bad enough, there
is a virus,Citrus Tristeza (CTV),that kills sour orange. Guess what
most of our citrus is grafted onto? At least with this disease there are
rootstocks that are resistant and, as yet, no one has called for the wholesale
removal of all sour orange.
What seems to be left is a vague hope that those with the money and research
capabilities will begin to focus on something other than wholesale destruction
of citrus. Perhaps resistant trees can be found, or existing varieties can
be made resistant through genetic manipulation. A number of trees on sour
orange are being replaced by those on other rootstocks.
A home owner can replace their trees if they die but may face their loss
again to canker or a government mandated chain saw. What IS the average homeowner
to do?
Rarefruiters will want to replace their citrus not only with an attractive
tree but with one that provides fruit as well. I’ll tell you, right up front,
that if you are craving a pummelo or pon gan orange (what ever your favorite
citrus) there is nothing that can replace it. Not for flavor, texture and
aroma.
Still, faced with holes in our landscape and diet there are some plants
that used as citrus replacements will give us good fruit and be an addition
to out landscapes. What follows are some of my selections and why I would
choose them. Without a doubt, some of you will have other suggestions to add,
while others may sigh “Oh, not THAT!”
Some citrus relatives (Rutaceae family)
Not known to be canker orTristezavirus susceptible.
White sapote, matasano, Casimiroa edulis (and C. tetrameria),
these are from Central America and Mexico. C. tetrameria is known as the
wooly leafed white sapote. Here in Florida we don’t see this fruit very often,
but when you travel to California you find that it is quite popular (even
out of the typical rare fruit circles) and that a number of varieties exist.
Californians commonly refer to them as sapote. A well fertilized tree is quite
pretty and adds to the landscape.
The compound leaves are not very citrus like and I would liken the texture
of the fruit to a soft pear or peach. Flavor varies widely from one variety
to the next as does flesh color. Most have white flesh but I have seen some
with a golden color.
They are easy to propagate from seeds and grafts, and give a fairly rapid
growth. They respond well to any good fruit tree fertilizer and benefit from
nutritional sprays.
Wampi, Calusena lansium, is from China. Long cultivated in China
and SE Asia, there are many varieties. Here in Florida I think I have heard
of three, maybe four. The tree is rather pretty and the fruits look a great
deal like small longans. You even eat them like a longan or litchi, splitting
them out of their brown papery skins.
The taste is described by some as too resinous, but they are not too bad.
Some of the varieties have little of this characteristic. I’ve never had any
but I am told that they make good jellies and jams. I do eat the fruit out
of hand when I can get it.
Non Citrus Relatives
Black Sapote, Chocolate Pudding fruit, Axle Grease Fruit, (Diospyros digyna)
Ebenaceae. These are from Central America and related to our North
American persimmon, D. virginiana. The common names vary widely for this
fruit; Black Sapote, Chocolate Pudding Fruit, or Axle Grease Fruit, and while
the last one may describe the ripe fruit’s texture the best, using the “Australian
Chocolate Pudding fruit” may do the most to get folks to actually grow and
use it.
A healthy, dark green Black Sapote is one of the prettiest trees you will
see in any landscape. The leaves shine in the sun and the tree can be grown
as a mound or be trimmed up enough to mow or plant under. Healthy, they look
good enough to be used as a specimen plant. They also take wind fairly well.
There are a number of named varieties and the fruits come in all sizes.
My own seedling tree has been slow to bear, but this year I stressed it and
it produced flowers. I am sure that the fact I let it get frozen to the ground
a couple of years back has not helped.
Fruit size and shape varies some between varieties, but, I have never had
one that was not edible. Since I have a typically North american palate, I
find these too soft to really enjoy out of hand but have made tasty smoothies,
ice cream and bread from them.
Named varieties include Bernecker, from Homestead, and Maher which comes
from a member of the Palm Beach RFCI. From the seedlings I’ve tasted fruit
from, it seems that you have a fair chance of producing a good fruit from
seed, especially if the seed is from a good variety. Like most of our fruits,
they benefit from a fruit tree fertilizer and occasional nutritional spray.
Mulching around the base of this (like most of the trees we grow) helps stabilize
soil moisture and temperatures, and cuts down on competition from weeds.
Other Diospyros which I am not covering here, such as our native virginiana
and the Japanese persimmon D. kaki might also be considered for our landscapes.
Both for fruit and appearances.
Having mentioned both white and black sapote I must note that there are
some true Sapotaceae that, climate permitting, can substitute for citrus.
Pouteria sapota, Sapotaceae family, from Central America, form
an interesting large leafed tree with big, sandpaper-skinned fruits. A number
of varieties exist and I have never had one that was not good to eat right
from the tree. They also make good ice cream, drinks, and can be baked into
breads and such.
Some fruits have a learning curve; that is, most people have to eat them
several times before they really like them. Not this Sapote. From time to
time I host travelers from far flung areas. If they are from areas where these
do not grow I love to introduce them to this sapote. So far, whether from
Africa, Bangladesh or Germany, every one has liked this fruit on the first
try.
Other Sapotaceae that might be used are:
Canistel, P. campechianawhich is a smaller tree with yellow
to yellow orange fruits whose flesh is similar in texture to a sweet potato.
Several varieties are found in Florida. The one called ‘Ross’, which may be
a hybrid, or other species is very appealing.
The Abiu, P. caimito with flesh texture somewhere between the
Sapote and Canistel has yellow fruit and a good growth habit. The variety
Gray’s 1 from Australia has a good flavor. So do Z1 and Z2.
Sapodilla, Manilkara zapota also called chico sapote and naseberry
from the tropical Americas is very pretty, most especially so when young.
Several varieties are available and most, even seedlings have a good taste.
They do contain schalrids, starch cells like in pears that make some varieties
gritty to eat. An RFCI member in Tahiti likes these so much he named his son
Manilkara. Under the best of conditions these grow bigger and spread more
than Citrus.
Most of the species I mentioned propagate from seed and grafting fairly
well.
How aboutPassiflorato replace citrus? I suspect that everyone
here has tasted either a key lime or lemon meringue pie. That tangy tartness
can be had with some of the passiflora - flavor is different, but quite agreeable
if you like fruit pies. Some of the best syrup I have ever tasted came from
a lady in California and was made from Passiflora edulis.
True, you need to grow these on a fence or trellis but the fragrant flowers
and edible fruits are worthwhile.
I want to mention a mangosteen and relative here.Mangosteen (Garcinia
mangostana) Guttiferae (Clusiaceae) would be a great citrus replacement
except for the fact that 95% of Florida is too cold for them. Ed Krajalis
made a start on finding one with cold tolerance and getting us to try them.
With time and some luck, we just might get one that withstands our climate.
Many of us like to grow small citrus in containers and this is where the
Button Mangosteen, G. prainianacomes in. Also called Cherapu this
plant comes in male and female. Both have a beautiful pink flower and when
pollinated the female produces orange fruits the size of small tangerines.
I love them, finding their flavour a bit better than true mangosteen. They
grow and will fruit in medium sized pots, and one could graft male and female
on the same plant. You would need to take them in or protect them from frost,
as they are sensitive. They grow from seeds.
I also like aRheedia sp.that Bill Whitman grows. This is an
evergreen tree that bears bright yellow lime sized fruits. Propagation is
difficult. The seeds need to literally go from mouth to seed pot and as far
as I know I am the only one to successfully airlayer one. Sadly I suspect
it’s too cold in most of Florida for this.
Macadamia integrifolia and M. tetraphylla, Protaceae, from Australia
may produce one of the most beautiful fruits we grow. Their tight form and
spiny leaves reminds many of northern varieties of holly. Hybrids between
the two exist but the variations between the two are minor.
These produce a medium sized tree that withstands some cold. Wind can be
a problem especially with young trees. Squirrels will fight you for the nuts.
My mom lost her second crop when the squirrels went inside her patio to get
the nuts she had picked to hide from them. There are a couple of varieties.
I have heard that the so-called ‘thin shell’ develops more fungus than the
others. This may be true, as the shell is not really thin, but has a defect
that allows for easier cracking. Even if the squirrels get all the nuts the
tree is really beautiful. They propagate fairly easily and are precocious,
I have seen them in bloom when less than 3’ tall.
As to eating quality I would place these in a tie (with Cashew) for the
second best nut in the world. Who knows what the best nut is? Taste is subjective
but I have never found any nut that equals a good fresh pecan.
Loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, a member of the Rosaceae
like apple and pears is not tropical but can be worth growing. Like many
of the other fruits mentioned there are several varieties available. More
if you (or your nurseryman) is willing to import bud wood from California.
I have always liked these fresh but have also had a jelly that was good.
The tree, once established, will withstand almost any of our cold spells.
The course leaves are a lighter green on the underside and very showy. Commonly
the trees you see used in landscaping are seedlings, not selected for fruit,
and it would benefit you (and the rare fruit movement) to find the varieties
selected for large fruit.
Carib fly is the main pest with these, as with many of our smaller fruit
the larvae will infest and ruin the fruit. Fortunately in our area Carib fly
is an intermittent problem and a couple of frosts seems to knock the populations
down so that not all fruit is affected. Good grove practices such as mulching
and removing surplus fruit also helps to a degree. One other positive note
is that the flowers, while small, are fragrant and fairly prolific.
Once I got started on this I realized that there were many more plants
that come to mind as citrus replacements. A number of plants in the
Myrtaceae such as guavas, various ‘cherries’ and the jaboticaba.Whose
yard would not be improved with a beautiful jaboticaba whose trunk was covered
in snowy white flowers (or ripe purple/black fruits)? Myrciaria cauliflora
(Plinia cauliflora).Small mangos also have a place. Some might even
be used in containers. Many of you are growing Carambola, and Annonas are
quick and small to replace lost fruit. Red sugar apple, atemoya.
I wanted to end the presentation with a couple of members of the Sapindaceae.
I like thealupag(Might beLitchi chinensis, or
not, depending on the experts) but they are hard to propagate and seem quite
cold sensitive.Rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum,also finds it
too cold here. I tried several varieties in Hawaii and found the taste somewhat
disappointing.
Lychee, Litchi chinensis,despite the fact that most are irregular
fruiting, should do well for most of you. The tree has a good form, is evergreen
and takes well to pruning to size and shape. Once established they show a
good degree of cold tolerance. There are a growing number of varieties available
and since they propagate through layering and grafting the selections available
to buy are not bad.
I like the old Bengal and Sweet Cliff and Kwai Mai Pink. Kwai Mai Pink
does not have as bright a colour of fruit as some of the others but the taste
is good and the one tree I have had a chance to watch for several years seems
to bear fairly well. Of course this tree gets a lot of stress as many people
layer starts off it, myself included. A number of people in Australia claim
that the lychee can be made to fruit regularly if stressed.
My favorite variety is Emperor, with large juicy fruits and a small compact
size.
Longan, Dimocarpus longan, is the last to consider tonight. Longan
is quite similar to lychee in size and shape as a tree. Most that I have seen
in Florida grow larger than lychee if left alone. Fruiting seems more consistent
and it seems easier to meet the tree’s nutritional needs. While there is
currently much discussion on the profitability of growing longan I find the
fruit not quite as good as lychee.
This tree also propagates easily from seed, layer and graft. The growth
rate is fairly quick and layered plants are precocious, producing some fruit
while still fairly small. The fruit is not as pretty as lychee being covered
in a brown sandpapery skin. As with lychee a couple of new varieties seem
to show up every year but Kohala still seems to be the standard to measure
against.
There is a continuing discussion as to which is hardier, lychee or longan.
The experts I spoke with seem to be about evenly divided on the issue. I suspect
that depending on the microclimate and soil we will see some confusion for
some time on this. For now it may be best to think of them as about the same
once established.
Again, I would like to thank you for your invitation to speak tonight and
your hospitality. The Caloosa Rare Fruit Exchange has always been fun and
I enjoy promoting you and your events through my internet and other activities.
If there are any questions....?
Page posted 07 January, 2003