Ethan

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 323

Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:43 pm

Location: Bakersfield, CA

Climate Zone: 9/9

I thought I'd start a new thread to see who else is attempting to grow tropical/ultra tropical plants way out of their zones. I dont have any expectations from these plants and am mostly growing them for fun. Most of these plants I'd never thought I'd be growing but when you get fresh seeds, what the heck. I wouldn't pay $ to have any of these plants shipped in to me, they would surely die. Since i've started all of my difficult stuff from seeds, I'm hoping to achieve minor acclimation to my climate. I dont expect mangosteen to handle frost or anything but less humidity and slightly cooler temps might be doable. I'm hoping this year to get durian and matisia cordata seeds to try.

So with that said, who else is venturing into "impossible" fruits?

rambutan and pulasan



Salaks, much hardier than I thought. S. affinis, S. wallichiana & S. zalacca



marang, mangosteen with cashew in the back



herrania umbritica, alupag, langsat



I also have stuff like breadnut, chempedak, abiu, starapple but they seem a bit hardier than the above.

-Ethan

So_Cal_Mike

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 138

Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:05 am

Location: South Ventura County

Climate Zone: Sunset Zone 21 - USDA Zone 10a

 Impressive lot of plants you have there! What procedure did you use to achieve such success, are you growing these indoors, in a greenhouse, or outside? I assume you started your seeds indoors.
 I tried growing Durian from seed outside last year...they sent down a long taproot, then died... (they never put out the rest of the plant, just the root.) I will try inside once I get some fresh seeds again.

nullzero

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 784

Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:26 pm

Climate Zone: Sunset Zone 21

Ethan,

Nice job on the seedlings, looks like Salak might be a good exotic fruit to grow in the warmer parts of CA. What does Salak taste like?

marklee

 

Posts: 75

Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:53 pm

Location: San Diego

Climate Zone: 10

I have a some ultra tropicals growing in my unheated greenhouse. I keep the greenhouse a few degrees warmer by wrapping the entire inside with the large bubble wrap, the outside temperature this last winter dipped to 38, and in the greenhouse it got down to 42.
I have the following growing:
Mangosteen and a few other tropical Garcinias
Longkong Duku Langsat
Pulasan
Abiu
Cashew- barely survived the winter
Cacao- one of only 12 seedlings to have survived the winter.
Soursop (Guanabana)
Biribia
Santol

Outside I have these hardier "tropicals" doing pretty good in the ground.
Starapple
Kwai Muk
Jackfruit
Tamarind
Green Sapote
Canistel
Ross Sapote
Sweetsop (Sugar Apple)

Mark in Chula Vista

Ethan

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 323

Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:43 pm

Location: Bakersfield, CA

Climate Zone: 9/9

Thanks Mike,
they were all started indoors and many of them spent last winter indoors as well. Most of them have taken temps around 50F and even had their root balls dry out. They handled our hot/dry fall last year with no major issues, they are in filtered sun though. The cashew is very new to me from a friend but I believe it was overwintered in a greenhouse.

Thanks N/Z,
I have not tasted salak but have read of flavors like pineapple and green apple depending on variety, some have tannins. Growing salak unprotected outdoors in CA, maybe in a prime spot? I plan to keep mine potted and tethered to avoid some of the spines.

Wow Mark,
you've quite a collection yourself, it amazes me some of the stuff you have planted out. Kwai muk is another plant that is hardier than I expected..

-Ethan

Brian

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 702

Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:54 pm

Location: Concord, CA

Climate Zone: 9ish

Mountain Soursop wintered indoors seems to be one of the best Annonas I've tried from seeds.

Jason (palo alto)

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 364

Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:04 pm

Location: East Palo Alto, CA

Climate Zone: Z17, 9b

Wow! You guys are really pushing it and doing a great job of keeping your plants alive. My climate by the bay is slightly milder on the lows than Ethan so should accommodate these plants as well.
I've tried lychee, longan and rambutan before and had the seedlings come up but then they all seem to die suddenly after a few months, even during warmer months. I've heard they need certain mychorriazal elements in the soil to thrive so maybe thats it.
I've done Jackfruit as well, they got to 6 in tall then just stopped growing and eventually died. However, it seems like my climate should be able to keep them alive if they mature enough.
Coffee I've tried before but I can't get the soil right to make it thrive. But I have seen fruiting coffee at a local nursery just under a shade cloth.

Right now I'm dedicated to getting Acerola to thrive and fruit here in N. California. I had one that thrived all winter before but died due to cold root rot. I've got two I've confidently planted in ground that I'm crossing my fingers on.

I've killed many many tropicals usually because I order them during fall and winter when nothing exciting is happening in the garden and I need my plant fix.

My desired tropicals are Canistel, Kwai Muk and Star Apple. I'm hoping to get one of those going and fruiting in the next few years. You guys give me hope

Brian

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 702

Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:54 pm

Location: Concord, CA

Climate Zone: 9ish

With my seedling Lychees what seems to get them is the hard water (delta water) that I have. Additionally they seem to want warmer nights I think (A milder version of Jakfruit syndrome).

If the tips of the leaves start to turn brown flush the pots with some DI or soft water and see if that helps new leaves. When I had Rambutan indoors I ran into the same issue.

Ethan

Cloudforest Expert

 

Posts: 323

Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:43 pm

Location: Bakersfield, CA

Climate Zone: 9/9

Brian, is the mountain soursop "the best" for flavor or for growth habit? Yes water does make a difference, my water leaves a nice white crust around the edge of the pots. The plants dont mind it too much but R/O water would be nice.

Jason, I do use 'Soil Moist' with mycorrhizae fungi in about everything. As I mix my soils I mix the product in as opposed to trying to sprinkle it directly on the roots. It might be a combination of things but since I've started using it, it has made a difference. I've been trying to add other varieties to my acerola collection but they are so slow to start from cuttings. Any tips besides patience? Canistel and kwai muk should be pretty doable for you, the star apple might take a little more effort, good luck.

-Ethan

mochtar

 

Posts: 38

Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 9:01 am

Climate Zone: warm climate

Ethan ..I am impressed. Nice try !!

If you really want to grow tropical plants such as durian, rambutan, mangosteen, salak, duku, jackfruit, chempedak and others. Here are some suggestions from me if you want to get success grow them:

First, find the highland varieties of durian, mangosteen, salak, nangka and others.
Here we have two classes of durian, mangosteen, jackfruit, salak and others. To be planted in the lowlands (very dry climate) and be planted in the highlands with chill temperatures and high humidity.

Second, do not planting durian, jackfruit, duku and others in a large container or pot later on. I guarantee they will never bear fruit. They must be planted on the ground.

Third, try to get some scions or grafted plants. Mangosteen (grafted) will bear fruit at the age of 1 year after be planted in a container or pot. (but not all varieties of mangosteen can be fruitful if placed in a container or pot). Depending on the variety, and for duku and langsat take you 12-15 years to be able to bear fruit (from seed)

If you have difficulty in finding the seeds, you can notify me then I will help you

If you follow these steps, I am sure you will be able to grow tropical plants in Bakersfield, CA. I roughly know how the climate in your area because I used to live in CA