Tina - without asking for a commercial endorsement, where on Seminole Blvd.? I'm always on the lookout for a new source of fruit trees and bushes.

As a kid growing up in Pinellas in the 50's, surinam cherry bushes were very popular as hedges. It should do fine. I can recall sneaking into my neighbor's yard and making a nice snack from a handful of Surinam Cherries (did not know what they were called back then-only that they tasted good. We called them Chinese Cherries-anything out of the ordinary got labeled "Chinese" something or other).

I have a hedge around my back-yard that was here when we bought in '69, and it is both black and red 'Surinam' or 'Barbados' cherries, the guy next door calls them 'Florida' cherries... they are loaded now and are sweet sweet sweet, the riper the better, this is a good year for them.... and I am out there for hours chomping down on these treats.... have fun, sally

Surinam cherries make excellent privacy hedges. They always have dark green glossy foliage and are extremely healthy and pest free. Make sure to prune them though they get very tall. Some people also state that these are invasive so be careful. I have not had any problems though.

The taste is not really that sour. The objectionable part is that they have a resinous taste. It helps if you wait until they are very ripe or you can cut them up and leave them in the fridge for a few hours to get rid of some of the resin taste. Some people make jams and such out of them.

It's just south of Park Blvd on the right before the overpass of the trail. The guy has a nice little selection! I wasn't convinced I liked the cherry so I traded it for a paper shell macadamia. :) Nuts.

Let me know how the macadamia nut tree does; would like to add a nut tree to my garden.

What's the name of the place?

Urban Eden and the man's name is Chris Skeie 727-430-3658. He will be putting up a website soon, but I just looked at it and it isn't ready yet. Luckily he gave me a card even though I told him I lived just around the corner.

It isn't a big place but if you go south on Seminole past Park Blvd it's on the right just before the pinellas trail overpass.

Writersblock,

Surinam and Barbados Cherries are different. I have both in my yard. The Barbados looks more like a tree and the fruit looks like a northern cherry. It has three seeds inside.

The Surinam cherry I do not like. But it was here when we bought the house so I leave it for the birds. Plus it does make a really good privacy fence.

But I hear there is also another type of cherry that grows down here to. But I have no idea what that would be.

Thanks, trinigemini. That's what I thought (although I guess that since I've been eating surinam cherries since childhood, I'm used to the taste).

>But I hear there is also another type of cherry that grows down here to. But I have no idea what that would be.

Cherry of the rio grande, maybe? (Eugenia aggregata)

I have a huge surinam cherry hedge (here when I bought my house 3+ years ago), they taste very tomatoey to me, and not in a good way. Ah well! (They have been producing tons...) Anyway, according to the site on Florida invasives, they are a Category 1 invasive. However, they are not "prohibited."

Here is a link that might be useful: Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council

The grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis) The fruit tastes like a Bing cherry. The seed is larger than a Bing cherry, which means that you just have to eat more fruit! The grumichama, is also called Brazil cherry and/or Spanish cherry, is an attractive tree growing up to 45 feet in height with thick waxy oblong deep green 3 to 4 inch leaves. I have 2 'Grums' growing here. I also have two 'low chill' regular cherry trees developed for our climate here in Florida by Zaiger, a Minnie Royal and a Royal Lee. I also have the Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata) Small/medium, 1-2" around, deep red to purple berry, resembling the grumichama (though more elongated and much larger) It has a pleasant and tasty sweet cherry flavor.

Lou

Thanks lou, so where can I buy those other cherries?

Trinigemini,

I now buy most of my orchard fruit trees online from an outfit in California that Sylvia told me about called Bay Laurel Nursery. They have 'low chill' requirement fruit trees that do well in our Florida area. I have purchased over a dozen fruit trees from them and all are doing very well. You will have to order early in Sept-Oct for spring planting as they sell out very fast. They are very reasonable on their shipping prices when multiple trees are ordered. (Click on the link below)

Lou

Here is a link that might be useful: Fruit Trees

Thank you. Happy gardening.

Surinams are very variable. Some taste awesome, and some taste like creosote. Let it get as ripe as possible, then give a taste.

For other Florida "cherries" I really like the Acreola, or Barbados cherry. It's sweet/tart, like cranberry juice, and has the highest concentrate of Vitamin C in the botanical world. And the bush is very pretty.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Looking forward to going here next time I'm home.

Any differences climate-wise in the fruit trees that will thrive in TPB vs. Orlando? I know in Orlando we have a much higher chance at frost or freeze.

You'll get more chill hours for peaches and pears on Orlando, but more freeze damage on bananas. :) You'd better just get Chris's advice while you're there.

cotrg is low production in Houston
Barbados is good
Jamacian cherry very good blooms constantly fruit tastes like cotton candy kids love em.
two new low chill real cherries just out in last few years are Minnie Royal and Royal Lee you need both for pollination I don't know how they taste though.

Does anyone near Orlando have any of these fruits? I would like to try the fruit before I commit to growing the plant. It sounds like there are a lot of interesting fruit to be grown... Thanks, Thomas

Thomas

I have or had the fruits above and here is my opinion, which can be different for another person because tastes are not the same.

Raja Puri, is a little bit sub-acid banana that I grew before, the varieties that I like are either sweet or for cooking. If you growing for looks this one can take the cold.

The red Jamaican I had it fruiting only 1 time in 3 years, I love the taste but is not productive when we get hit by the cold.

The surinam cherry, I don't really like the taste it leaves like an aftertaste for me, it is nice as a care free shrub and the fruit is for the birds, it finished fruiting at my house.

And we are in blueberry picking season, I highly recommend to visit any of the u-pick places and eat berries as much as you want to. I also have my own which are the Sunshine Blue, Emerald and a pollinator that I don't remember the name.

We are coming to fig season, all my figs are loaded...

There are a lot of good fruits out there, it all depends on your taste.:)

Silvia

You might have gotten the wrong banana, Silvia! Rajapuri is a desert banana and is almost too sweet. Lew Gardens says:
"Rajapuri is an excellent variety. It is a strong grower, very resistant to nematodes, and fruits dependably with sweet bananas. "

going-bananas.com the nursery recommended by Lew says: RAJA PURI - A very popular sturdy plant originating in India and becoming a favorite around the world. Due to the rapid growth and delicious taste of these 3/4 size fruit as well as cool tolerance they have won the hearts (and taste buds) of thousands.

That's why I chose it - but after it fruits I will post again

Here is a link that might be useful: Lew Gardens Banana Guide

Tina, long time ago I stopped to listen the descriptions of fruits and veggies either from people or growers. I trust my own taste and the conditions that I am growing.

I had raja puri in Phoenix and when I tasted the fruit I thought it was only me, but somebody else in the Fort Meyers area here in Florida asked the same question, she thought her raja puri bananas were not sweet and were a little sub acid because she had not added fertilizer.

And I really hope yours are as sweet as you want them to be. And just like I said before taste varies from one person to another and you might find your raja puri very sweet.

By the way ALL my bananas were bought at going bananas vendor. I still have 12 different kinds, the ones that I did not like are out.

Silvia

Tina

Here is another taster opinion.

Silvia

Here is a link that might be useful: raja puri taste

Well I sure hope that isn't the case! We were thinking these bananas are the little one's from South India that Vivek used to get in Madras. I'll let you know what happens when they grow up.