I Want To Grow A Fruit Tree In My Back Yard?
Posted by admin on February 4, 2010
I live in florida and I don’t want a citrus tree in my backyard. I was thinking about buying a cherry, apple or peach.Which one of these do you think will grow the best in Florida weather?
Since you live in Florida you can basically grow anything you want, now the question is whether or not you yard gets enough of that Florida sunshine. Fruit trees require at least 6 hours of sunlight. I think you should grow peaches. The hotter the weather the sweeter the peach. I grow peaches and they are by far the best tasting tree ripened fruit out there good luck
Cherry trees will not grow properly in Florida. Whatever tree you decide to plant, you will need more than one if you want fruit. Since Florida has strict regulations on Agricultual products, you will need to buy in State. Check a Nurserie in your area.
PEAR TREEEE
Depending on what part of Florida you live in, there are lots of fruit trees (that aren’t citrus trees!) that will grow well in your area (according to the agricultural department at the University of Florida).
However, before you select your favorite fruit tree, be sure that you have enough space in your yard to support the growth and life of the tree. Check the size of the tree’s canopy (don’t plant too close to the house), and the height to make sure that there aren’t any obstructions that could hinder the growth of your new tree!
To get you started, here are a few different fruit trees that will grow in Florida (and a little bit of information on each):
- Atemoya (custard apple): The atemoya is a hybrid between the sugar apple and cherimoya. It produces a fruit very similar to the sugar apple, also called sweetsop or anon. It is a small to medium sized, open, deciduous tree with a rounded canopy rarely exceeding 20 feet in height and width. Because of their relatively small stature, atemoya trees are suited to small yards
- Avocado: Avocado trees are typically medium to large in size (40-60 feet), easy to grow and can produce large quantities of fruit. Limbs are vulnerable to wind damage and can even break under the weight of a heavy fruit load. The fruit is a very large berry consisting of a single large seed surrounded by a buttery pulp. Mature fruit are generally green, although some cultivars may be black, red or purple when soft (ripe). Avocados do not ripen until they are picked or fall to the ground.
- Banana: Bananas are not cold tolerant and some varieties are better adapted to south Florida than others. Growth is extremely rapid during the very warm, 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 1-2 years.
- Caimito (star apple): Native to Central America and the West Indies, this evergreen tree is highly ornamental and produces a sweet purple or green fruit. Trees may reach 25 to 100 ft in height and have a dense, broad crown. The attractive leaves are glossy and green on the upper surface and golden brown on the under surface. Trees produce either light green or purplish colored fruit. The fruit is round, 2-4 inches in diameter, and may have a dark-purple or white flesh.
- Carambola (star fruit): Trees are generally small to medium in height (35 feet max.) and spreading with the majority of fruit borne on branches in the mid-canopy region. The fruit is a large fleshy berry, 2-6 inches in length, yellow skinned with a waxy surface and star-shaped cross section. Flesh is light to dark yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy. Better cultivars have a nice, slightly sweet to subacid flavor. Eat fresh, cut up in fruit salads, or as an iced juice drink. The fruit may also be canned, preserved, and dried.
- Canistel (egg fruit): Trees may reach 25 ft or so in height with leaves mostly grouped at the ends of branches. The attractive lanceolate-shaped leaves are glossy and green. Trees produce 3-5 inch long by 2-3 inch diameter, conical-shaped fruit. The maturing fruit changes from green to light green to golden-yellow or pale orange-yellow at maturity.
- Jaboticaba: Native to Brazil, jaboticaba 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 1 to 4 seeds. The fruit has a pleasant flavor and taste a bit like grape. 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, and seldom exceeds 20 feet in Florida. Flowers are small and white, interesting but rather inconspicuous and borne right on the trunk and larger branches. Jaboticaba is relatively hardy but will not tolerate drought. Plant in full sun in a moist but fairly well drained soil.
- Jackfruit (jakfruit): This large tree has glossy, dark green leaves and produces a very large, oval shaped, rather unusual looking segmented (spiked) fruit. Typically, fruit are produced in clusters of 2 or more at various height intervals along the trunk. The skin of the fruit must be peeled to reveal the succulent, yellow to orange colored pulp.
- Lychee (litchi): Lychee trees are native to southern China and southeast Asia and may grow to 40 or more feet in height. Lychee is an excellent fresh fruit with a pleasant, sweet flavor. Fruit are a relatively small (about the size of a typical strawberry), round to oval, and borne in loose clusters. When fruit are ripe, the leathery skin develops an attractive pinkish red color. Lychee trees are attractive havi