Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

Tropical fruits

April 15, 2006

My last article, on April 1st, covered some of the subtropical fruits that we can grow here in Brevard County. Residents who live on Merritt Island or the beaches can easily grow many tropical fruit crops. Even those of us who live on the “mainland” can grow some tropical fruits if we plant them on the south side of the house in a protected area or go to the effort of protecting them during a freeze. The number of tropical fruit that can be grown here is quite large, but here is some information on a few of them.

Bananas are a true tropical favorite and perhaps the best known of the tropical fruits. There are many different cultivars that are available with a wide variation in fruit type and quality. Bananas are not cold tolerant so for those that live in colder areas you will want to be sure and find a cultivar that can produce fruit in 9 months or so. Often, even if the plant gets hit by a freeze, it will re-grow from the roots. Rarely are plants totally killed by a freeze. If you don’t choose a fast maturing variety though, you may not get many bananas produced. Some of the longer maturing varieties are better suited for Merritt Island, the beaches and south Florida. Banana plants grow rapidly during the very warm and wet summer months. Because they reproduce from underground rhizomes and not seed, a single plant can quickly spread out producing multiple trunks in a matter of a few months. Fruits develop in clusters on the end of flower stalks usually within one to two years. Shortly after bearing, the stem dies. Bananas like full sun and moist but well drained soil. They will tolerate partial shade, but best growth and fruit production is in full sun.

Carambola, also called star fruit, is becoming increasingly popular and available in Florida. The trees are generally small to medium in height with a maximum height and spread of 35 feet with the majority of fruit borne on branches in the mid-canopy region. The fruit is a large fleshy berry, two to six inches in length, yellow skinned with a waxy surface and star-shaped cross section. The flesh is light to dark yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy. Better cultivars have a nice, slightly sweet to sub-acid flavor. The fruit can be eaten fresh, cut up in fruit salads or used as an iced juice drink. The fruit may also be canned, preserved or dried. Carambola trees also have an ornamental value with their dark green foliage and attractive flowers and fruit. Plant it in a sunny location with well-drained soil and protection from the wind. On alkaline soils (those with a high soil pH) watch for signs of minor element deficiencies, particularly zinc, iron and manganese and treat accordingly. The harvesting seasons are July through September and November through February.

Jaboticaba is another popular tropical fruit that is an unusual tree that produces a purple, grape-like berry directly upon the trunk and larger branches either singly or in clusters. Under the skin is a whitish pulp with one to four seeds. The fruit has a pleasant flavor and taste a bit like grapes. They can be eaten fresh or made into jam, jellies or wine. Flowering and fruiting occur periodically throughout the year so multiple crops are produced. Other than its fruit, Jaboticaba is known for its beautiful multicolored bark, which gives it value in the landscape. The tree is small, slow growing, and bushy, seldom exceeding 20 feet tall in Florida. The flowers are small and white, interesting but rather inconspicuous and borne right on the trunk and large branches. Jaboticaba is relatively hardy but will not tolerate drought. Plant it in full sun in a moist but fairly well-drained soil. The tree prefers a slightly acid soil, so some special attention will be required to provide the proper nutrition on an alkaline soil. If provided with an ideal growing environment, Jaboticaba can be a relatively low maintenance tree requiring little pruning or spraying for pests.

If you are interested in finding out more information about these tropical fruits or others you can check out our website called Fruitscapes. There is information on deciduous fruits, subtropical and tropical fruits on the Fruitscapes website. Just go to http://fruitscapes.ifas.ufl.edu/ and see all the information that is right there at your fingertips. If you have thought about adding a new tree to your landscape you may want to consider a tropical fruit tree.