Key limes and soursop are true from seed.

sour citrus, I hear

I started a Carambola from a store bought fruit-???
It's over 6 feet and skinny.

ALl the ones you listed should be true if not at least produce close to true from seed.

Gary

Hi
After going the seed route and being disappointed many time.I've decided the only way to get fruit trees is .Go to a fruit tree club meeting ,taste the fruit of as many cultivars as possible . Choose the one you like and get a tagged seedling. You can spend years growing a bad type.

There are soooo many cultivars ,there is no way you could no what a seed would produce.
Carambola for example has at least 25 named cultivars. The fruit is so fifferent you'd suspect they were different species. Also you get to select from different growth habits such as dwarf,everbearing and so on.
They are definitely worth the money!!!
gary

Gary, do you mean "get a tagged, grafted plant" or do buy a seedling? Wouldn't many seedlings from a named tree not be like the parent plant, as discussed above?

I'm too impatient to grow seedlings, except for Sugar Apples, Atemoyas, Breadnut, Cacao and Cherimoyas. Those are FAST!

Lisa

My sugar apple hasn't heard that news. (grumblegrumble)

Ariel,
Some mangoes ARE true from seed (mono- vs poly-embryonic). The problem isn't whether they are true from seed or not, it's the root stalk that is susceptible to Anthracnose and other diseases. I've been lucky with my two Kent's that I grew from my late fathers tree. Nam Doc is also true to seed (want one?).

Hi
i guess the most foolproof way to select a cultivar is by following the advice of commercial growers?? Particularly in your own area. At very least they would know all the problems associated with it .You can bet they're aren't planting "bad" varieties??
Lisa for your question which would they choose ?? They could sure help with a lot of problems that are only learned by experience.
I personally don't like most tropical fruits even bananas lol So I'm a terrible judge .I'm also WAAAY to lazy to constantly fight with the weather bugs and neighbors lol.
I grow Papaya because I think it's prettier than a palm
and the fruit has maggots which my birds love. Not too great for the table though lol gary

Commercial growers grow what will make them money, which means production, good shipper, attractiveness, probably THEN taste. You can't really find different varieties of jaboticaba and miracle fruit, with a slight exception. All the fruit he mentioned are pretty good candidates to grow from seed, except jaboticaba and miracle fruit aren't fast growers. Of course you would want it to come from a good tasting fruit, which is appropriate for your growing zone or it wouldn't be worth the effort. There are several fruits which do great, and fast from seed. Carambola and jakfruit are a couple more, guava is a prolific grower and shouldn't take a tremendous amount of time.

Gary

I knew I could count on you guys to help me out!

Tampaart, I would love a mango seedling! Are there any plants that I can share with you?

Maybe all of us Tampa area folks can get together. There seems to be a fair amount of us.

Well, I think after reading this thread, I will try a few more things from seed (as they come available)
Key lime
sugar apple
guava
and who knows what else.

Lisa, You've got me wanting to try a few others but I know my zone won't allow it. And I am not big on dragging pot in for the winter.

I really like growing palms from seeds for some reason. Fruits-you're right, it has to be highly recommended and tasted before I'll bother. I went to ECHO yesterday to get a Soursop and they had a couple other fruits that I tried and I'm glad I did because I wouldn't give them space in my garden. Some fruits - like Carambola I think how many can I eat? and I don't know a lot of people who will want these. I used to take anything to plant, now I'm much more selective and it has to be something I really like.

About carambola, there are sweet, juicy varieties as well as tart and dry.
Don't rely on tasting one from a grocery store to make up your mind. They're awful!
They are ridiculously prolific trees. One tree can supply your entire city! At least mine can.
I've been juicing them and freezing the juice. When I want a good juice drink I defrost, dilute with 3 parts water, some sugar to taste and maybe a squeeze of key lime. Delicious!

Treefrog, I've pickled them (tasty) and like you given them away until I was done. This from two trees no larger than 15 feet, both sweet.
Ariel: I don't have any seedlings (smiling)...just the fruit ripening - maybe I should plant some extras (besides the seeds I've promised) and give those away at the next Tampa Swap (a great idea) (I'd even host).
Key limes - got 'em coming out my ears (large crop this season).

Tampaart,
I am all for a Tampa swap and some mango seeds;-)
I have some plants to share and swap!
Ariel

Pickled, huh?
I bet they're pretty.
Do you have a recipe?

Cashews seem to grow true from seed too.
Fresh, unroasted of course.
A friend of mine grew one from seed that's now putting out a good crop.
The cashew fruit is tasty. Not something I'd be inclined to grow for its fruit or nuts to eat, but for it's unusual looking fruits. It's a pretty tree too.
I've got a few now I'll plant tomorrow.
Just for the fun of it.

I'm wanting a Star Fruit, if it is local, so I don't pay a fortune.

I like the sweet ones.

Tropicalfreak

great discussion.
going back to some basics in biology and genetics everything can POTENTIALLY be true to seed. all plants are anuploidy (more than 2 sets of chromosomes (humans have 2))
which means the more sets of chromosomes the higher the genteic diversity and the less likely the seed will be like the parents.
whether a seed is "true" is obviously a bit more complicated but you ALWAYS take a gamble when growing from seeds.
in general, a grafted or cutting plant is less "healthy" than a plant grown from seed but you know exactly what you get.

but who knows... with seeds you may just find and create that perfect chromosomal mix that leads to a great fruit and new cultivar.
oh the perils and anguish of gambling. grin.

sorry for getting so deep.LOL