Sarasota Fruit & Nut Society - Fruit Photos
Photos by Debra Sims unless otherwise noted
Allspice Pimenta dioica - Native to Jamaica to Central America
Small, tropical, evergreen tree with small, white flowers and aromatic leaves. Prefers a minimum temperature of 55 degrees but can be container grown in colder areas. Will seldom flower in Central to North Florida. Grow in full sun or part shade and let dry out between waterings. Propagate by cuttings. Fruit is picked green and dried to use as a spice in cooking and baking or potpourri.
Imbe Garcinia livingstonei - Native to Portuguese E. Africa
Interesting shrub or small tree with twisted branches, grows to 10 feet. Good salt tolerance and has separate male and female plants. Fruits in July-August with a single, large seed in the 1 1/2 to 2" fruit surrounded by a thin, juicy pulp with a pleasant, acid flavor. Pulp and juice will stain clothing. Freezes at 26 degrees and grow in full sun to light shade. Propagate from seed.
Custard Apple Annona reticulata - Native to West Indies
Tropical to sub-tropical, semi-deciduous, tree grows to 25 feet. Also known as "bullock's heart" it has a sprawling habit and will grow top heavy if not pruned. Prefers full sun, cannot stand wet feet and will freeze at 28 degrees. Will fruit from seed in 4 to 5 years. The 1 to 2 lb. fruit can be eaten fresh or used in custards, ices, and milk drinks.
Miracle Fruit Synsepalum dulcificum - Native to West Africa
A shrub that can grow to 6 feet and bear several crops of fruit a year. Does best in filtered light and acid soil and can be propagated from seed. The small amount of flesh that grows around the seed has an active element called glycoprotein that coats the tongue and inhibits the sour taste buds. This has the effect of making very sour fruit taste sweet and can last from 30 minutes to several hours. Has been used by chemotherapy patients to encourage appetite by improving the flavor of foods.
Grumichama Eugenia dombeyi - Native to Brazil
A large, tropical to sub-tropical shrub that grows to 15 feet. Prefers sun to part shade and rich, moist, acid soil. Will freeze at 27 degrees. Can be grown from cuttings or air-layer and will fruit from seed in 3 to 5 years. Fruit season is from April to June and may bear several times with 1 month from flower to fruit. Ripe purple-black fruit is approx. 1/2 inch in diameter with a thin edible skin and flesh is soft and sweet like a cherry. Can be eaten fresh, used in pies, jams and makes good jelly if picked before fully ripe.
Papaya Carica papaya - Native to Central America
Single stem, herbaceous tree that will rapidly grow to 15 feet. Tolerates poor soil but will be killed by flooding and is frost sensitive. Grows readily from seed with some varieties bisexual while others have both male and female plants. Female has flowers close to trunk while the male flowers in clusters on the end of long stems. Fruits throughout the year but best in July-October. Should be harvested before fully ripe and allowed to soften at room temperature. When ripening, skin becomes light or deep yellow and is at peak when 80% of skin is colored. Fruit is melon-like, from 1/2 to 20 lbs, yellow to orange-red and has numerous black seeds in cavity. Can be eaten fresh, in fruit salads, ice cream, and milk drinks. Juice can be used to tenderize meat and unripe fruit can be used as vegetable when steamed, stir-fried or grated as a cabbage substitute in cole slaw. Latex exuded from skin in unripe fruit is a skin irritant.
Photo by Edward Lin
Tamarind - Tamarindus india - Native to Tropical Africa
Long-lived, slow-growing tree can reach heights up to 100 feet. Frost sensitive when young, it is relatively hardy when mature and tolerant of various soils and salt spray. Will grow from seed, which remain viable for months and germinate in one week and can be air layered, grafted or grown from cuttings. Flowers in summer, green fruit in winter and ripens in April-June. Fruit is flattish, beanlike, irregularly curved pods 2-7" long. At maturity, pods fill out with juicy, acidulous brown to red-brown pulp and skin becomes brittle. Fruit may be left on tree up to 6 months to reduce moisture content. Dehydrated fruits are lightweight, sound hollow and crack easily. Pulp can be eaten fresh or mixed with sugar to make candy. It is commonly used in chutney, curry, barbeque sauce, and syrups.
Pitaya Hylocereus undatus - Native to Brazil
AKA Strawberry Pear, Nightblooming Cereus, Cereus triangularis; this succulent can be terrestrial or epiphytic and has heavy, 3-sided, fleshy, branched stems that may reach 20 feet in length. It's nocturnal flowers are magnificent, up to 14" long and 9" wide and wonderfully fragrant. The non-spiny fruit has bright red, fleshy scales with white, juicy, sweet pulp and tiny black edible seeds. Fruit season is August/September. There is a yellow variety whose fruit is smaller, covered with spiny clusters and has translucent flesh with a delicious flavor. The pulp is eaten fresh, used in drinks and made into syrup.
Carambola Averrhoa carambola - Native to Southeast Asia
Small, symmetrical tree, grows to 25 ft., prefers good, moist, acid soil in sun or semi-shade. Requires minimal care but can be damaged by flooding. Freezes at 27 degrees. Seedlings will bear in 3 to 5 years but plants are mostly grafted. Tree can bear 2 to 4 crops per year with major crop in summer/fall. Flavor ranges from tart to sweet, texture from soft to crisp. Can be harvested when fruit is pale green with a touch of yellow and allowed to ripen indoors. Fruit is eaten fresh, sliced for salads, made into juice, jelly, pie, wine and is good cooked in stir fries and chicken dishes.
