Exotic fruit or at least exotic to the UK.

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by pete, Jul 9, 2021.

  1. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I think they do, but only when the main stem dies after flowering, I could be wrong.

    But if you chop up the base into sections it then grows pups anyway.
     
  2. noisette47

    noisette47 Total Gardener

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    Not much consolation, really. I'm chuffed that MKII pulled through, though. I'm looking forward to getting him to the same size as the old one and then seeing what happens if I leave him alone after flowering :hapydancsmil:
    Yikes! Gone midnight here....I'm off before I turn into a pumpkin! :biggrin: :snooze:
     
  3. Macraignil

    Macraignil Super Gardener

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    Not in the UK here but have some exotic fruit plants in the garden for a fairly similar climate. Newest addition is the Strawberry tree(Arbutus unedo) planted in the spring and still having some fruit from when I bought it that does not look ripe.
    Introduced a second feijoa shrub last year since the first one has been flowering but not making any fruit. It still looks too small to make flowers to pollinate the first one and no sign of any flowers so far this year.
    Also have a few avocados grown from stones in fruit from the supermarket including one that is a few years old now. Planted a couple in the most sheltered parts of the garden as I have got fed up of bringing the older one in and out of the house each winter so will let them take their chances of surviving in the ground.
    I think the most exotic one I have is a type of evergreen dogwood called Cornus capitata that I grew from seeds collected from the grounds of the local college. It has nice looking white flowers in summer and red fruit in Autumn and I read they can start to fruit from year eight so might get some next year. The taste I read varies from plant to plant so hoping I get some good ones as I did not taste any of the ones I collected.
    Happy gardening!
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      Dogwood fruit, that's a new one on me.:blue thumb:
       
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      • noisette47

        noisette47 Total Gardener

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        Morning tout le monde :) Well I'm definitely going to have a go at an avocado tree, Macraignil. Arbutus unedo is a lovely tree but the fruits are better to look at than to eat. The Chinese preserve them in alcohol so get your poteen ready :biggrin:
         
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        • Macraignil

          Macraignil Super Gardener

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          I think the avocados need a pair to cross pollinate and some varieties are hardier than others if you are determined to try to get them to fruit. Some find them nice to have as house plants and they definitely don't like cold. Thanks for the arbutus fruit recipe.
           
        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I planted a strawberry tree some years ago, its quite big now.
          Must admit I don't eat the fruit it might be alright if it's pickled in alcohol though.
          There is a nursery not far from me that sells avocado trees so there must be some people around here growing them, maybe in large pots.
          I wonder if there is a dwarfing root stock for them.
           
        • Victoria

          Victoria Lover of Exotic Flora

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          We don't like to eat them either but love Guacamole ... it's the onions and coriander that give it flavour.

          I had a Carissa but it died before the fruit ripened. I recently got seeds to try again.

          Carissa in June 2.jpg



          It's the hard skin and stones. They don't sell them commercially here because they rot quickly but the open market stalls sell them. I think they make a marmalade with them. The tree on the left is a Tangerine and the big one next to it a Nespera (aka Loquat).

          Snow2 6 Feb 10.JPG
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Not sure if this qualifies.
            Aubergine:
            20210713_174159 (2).jpg
             
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            • noisette47

              noisette47 Total Gardener

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              That's looking nice and healthy, John. Do you get lots of choice of varieties and grafted plants in UK?
               
            • JWK

              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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              It's grown from seed, a variety called Jackpot. I don't know if they are readily available as plants here nor thought about grafting. I tried Aubergine once before years ago with no luck so thought I would try again as I have a bit more greenhouse space.

              Do you grow them @noisette47 I could do with some tips particularly about pollination?
               
            • JWK

              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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              Just googled Aubergine grafted plants and found a couple of companies selling online for around £5 plus p&p so I guess they will be available in garden centres. Grafted plants might be the thing to try for me next year.
               
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              • Upsydaisy

                Upsydaisy Total Gardener

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                I grew Aubergines a couple of years ago as we eat them a lot. Grew them in growbags in the greenhouse.....they cropped brilliantly , I didn't do any pollinating...did realise it had to be done. I just left everything open for the creepy crawlies and flying bugs.

                Since then my greenhouse has lacked the space....might think on this for next year.
                 
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                • noisette47

                  noisette47 Total Gardener

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                  Yes I grow the basic long, purple variety, but gave up starting them from seed about 10 years ago. The plants produced for sale on the markets here are so far superior to what I can produce without heat in the polytunnel. Last year was disastrous as the plants got greenfly and were too sickly to produce anything. This year, I've left a wasp's nest nearby and there's not an aphid in sight :) Plenty of bees, though, so no problems with fruit-set.
                  Quite a few friends invested in grafted plants over the last 5/6 years, but they seem unanimous in not being impressed by the health or productivity of the plants v ordinary ungrafted ones, so probably not worth the extra cost?
                  In good summer weather years, I plant 4 plants in the tunnel and 4 outside. They like heat and sun! Didn't bother with the outdoor ones this year :biggrin:
                  It's worth giving the plants heavy-duty support, as when they do bear fruit, they can topple over without stakes.
                   
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