Lychee (Litchi chinensis) Sapindaceae The lychee tree is handsome, dense, round-topped, slow-growing, 30 to 100 ft (9-30 m) high and equally broad. The tiny petalless, greenish-white to yellowish flowers are borne in terminal clusters to 30 in (75 cm) long. Showy fruits, in loose, pendent clusters of 2 to 30 are usually strawberry-red, sometimes rose, pinkish or amber, and some types tinged with green. Most are aromatic, oval, heart-shaped or nearly round, about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long; have a thin, leathery, rough or minutely warty skin, flexible and easily peeled when fresh. Immediately beneath the skin of some varieties is a small amount of clear, delicious juice. The glossy, succulent, thick, translucent-white to grayish or pinkish fleshy aril which usually separates readily from the seed, suggests a large, luscious grape. The flavor of the flesh is subacid and distinctive. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Chris Hind © All Rights Reserved 2009
Imbe (Garcinia livingstonei)
Carambola (Averrhoa carambola) Oxalidaceae The carambola tree is slow-growing, short-trunked with a much-branched, bushy, broad, rounded crown and reaches 20 to 30 ft in height. Its deciduous leaves, spirally arranged, are alternate, imparipinnate. The leaflets are sensitive to light and more or less inclined to fold together at night or when the tree is shaken or abruptly shocked. Small clusters of red-stalked, lilac, purple-streaked, downy flowers, about 1/4 in wide, are borne on the twigs in the axils of the leaves. The showy, oblong, longitudinally 5- to 6-angled fruits, 2 1/2 to 6 in long and up to 3 1/2 wide, have thin, waxy, orange-yellow skin and juicy, crisp, yellow flesh when fully ripe. Slices cut in cross-section have the form of a star. The fruit has a more or less pronounced oxalic acid odor and the flavor ranges from very sour to mildly sweetish. The so-called "sweet" types rarely contain more than 4% sugar. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newc
Photo by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Ilama (Annona diversifolia) Annonaceae The tree may be spreading or erect, to 25 ft often branching from the ground. It has aromatic, pale brownish-gray, furrowed bark and glossy, thin, elliptic to obovate or oblanceolate leaves, 2 to 6 in long. The new foliage is reddish or coppery. Solitary, long-stalked, maroon flowers, which open to the base, have small rusty hairy sepals, narrow, blunt, minutely hairy outer petals, and stamen-like, pollen bearing inner petals. The fruit is conical, heart-shaped, or ovoid globose, about 6 in long; may weigh as much as 2 Ibs. Generally, the fruit is studded with more or less pronounced, triangular protuberances, though fruits on the same tree may vary from rough to fairly smooth. The rind, pale-green to deep-pink or purplish, is coated with a dense, velvety gray-white bloom. In green types, the flesh is white and sweet; in the pink types, it is pink-tinged near the rind and around the seeds, all-pink or even deep-rose, and tart in flavor. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton
[Photo by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License]
Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) Sapindaceae The rambutan tree reaches 50 to 80 ft in height, has a straight trunk to 2 ft wide, and a dense, usually spreading crown. The evergreen leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, 2 3/4" to 12" long. The small, petalless flowers, of three kinds: males, hermaphrodite functioning as males, and hermaphrodite functioning as females, are borne in axillary or pseudo-terminal, much branched, hairy panicles. The fruit is ovoid, or ellipsoid, pinkish-red, bright-or deep-red, orange-red, maroon or dark-purple, yellowish-red, or all yellow or orange-yellow; 1 1/3" to 3 1/8" long. The somewhat hairlike covering is responsible for the common name of the fruit, which is based on the Malay word "rambut", meaning "hair". Within is the white or rose-tinted, translucent, juicy, acid, subacid or sweet flesh. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Noel Ramos © All Rights Reserved 2009
Biriba (Rollina deliciosa) Annonaceae - Large Rollina grown by Noel Ramos Biriba is a fast-growing tree ranges from 13 to 50 ft (4-15 m) in height; has brown, hairy twigs and alternate, deciduous, oblong-elliptic or ovate-oblong leaves, pointed at the apex, rounded at the base, 4 to 10 in (10-25 cm) long, thin but somewhat leathery and hairy on the underside. The flowers, borne 1 to 3 or occasionally more together in the leaf axils, are hermaphroditic, 3/4 to 1 3/8 in (23.5 cm) wide; triangular, with 3 hairy sepals, 3 large, fleshy outer petals with upturned or horizontal wings, and 3 rudimentary inner petals. The fruit is conical to heart-shaped, or oblate; to 6 in (15 cm) in diameter; the rind yellow and composed of more or less hexagonal, conical segments, each tipped with a wart-like protrusion; nearly 1/8 in (3 mm) thick, leathery, tough and indehiscent. The pulp is white, mucilaginous, translucent, juicy, subacid to sweet. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton.
Photo by Noel Ramos © All Rights Reserved 2009
Bacuriparí (Garcinia macrophylla) Clusiaceae Bacuriparí is a pyramidal tree, 26 to 40 ft tall, with stiff, leathery, lanceolate-oblong or broad-lanceolate leaves, 12 to 18 in long and 3 to 7 in wide, pointed at both ends, with numerous lateral, nearly horizontal veins. New foliage is maroon. The 4-petalled, male and female flowers are home in small axillary clusters on separate trees, the male on delicate stalks to 1 1/2 in long and having numerous stamens, the female on thick, short stalks and sometimes having a few stamens with sterile anthers. The fruit is rounded-conical, pointed at one or both ends, about 3 3/16 in wide, with thick yellow rind, usually smooth, sometimes rough, containing gummy yellow latex. The white, aril-like pulp, agreeably subacid, encloses 3 to 4 oblong seeds. The tree is native to humid forests of Surinam and Brazil to northern Peru. The fruit is sold in native markets. cont. in the next photo
Image by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Purple Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis)
Mamey Apple (Mammea americana)
Seashore Mangosteen (Garcinia hombroniana) Clusiaceae Within sight of the South China Sea one can find the stately beach mangosteen. This most intriguing member of the mangosteen family prefers a life near the sea, subjected to extremes in light, temperature and a fluctuating water table. It gradually develops into a 10 m tree, with a lovely tiered architecture of contrasting light and dark green leaves. The white flowers are borne on the new flush and produce a scarlet red fruit of 40 to 50 g. The skin is leathery and contains a white or transluscent flesh with a crisp, tart flavor. There is little known about potential uses of this fruit and less about the genetic resources in its native land. Interest has long surrounded the beach mangosteen as a potential rootstock for grafting to extend the adaptability of the commercial mangosteen. In Tropical America the beach mangosteen holds promise as an ornamental for home gardens and as a potential commercial fruit crop. from FTBG http://illuminatistudios.com/fairchild/index.cfm?page=home
Photo by Chris Hind © All Rights Reserved 2009
Charichuela (Garcinia madruno) Clusiaceae Image by Chris Hind © All Rights Reserved 2009]
The Charichuela tree is erect, lush, compact, with pyramidal or nearly round crown, 20 to 65 ft (6-20 in) high, and has much gummy yellow latex. The opposite leaves are elliptic to oblong, wedge-shaped at the base, rounded or pointed at the apex, 2 3/8 to 8 in (6-20 cm) long, 3/4 to 3 in (2-7.5 cm) wide; dark green above, paler beneath, with numerous veins conspicuous on both surfaces and merging into a thick marginal vein. The fragrant male and female flowers are borne on separate trees in clusters of up to 14 in the leaf axils; have 4 reflexed, pale-yellow petals; the male, 25 to 30 light-yellow stamens. The fruit is round or ellipsoidal, sometimes with a prominent nipple at each end; 2 to 3 in (5-7.5 cm) long, with thick, leathery, warty, greenish-yellow rind containing a deep-yellow, resinous latex. The white, translucent, juicy, sweet-acid, aromatic pulp adheres tightly to the 1 to 3 ovate or oblong seeds which are about 3/4 in (2 cm) long. Continued in next photo...
Bacuriparí close-up (Garcinia macrophylla) Clusiaceae Bacuriparí cont. from previous photo... The bacuripari was introduced into Florida in 1962 and planted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center in Homestead, at Fairchild Tropical Garden and in several private gardens. One tree fruited in 1970, another in 1972, and the latter has continued to bear. Young specimens have been killed by drops in temperature to 29º to 30º F (-1.67º--1.11º C). Older trees have been little harmed by 27º to 28º F. The tree is accustomed to light-to moderate-shade. Seeds have remained viable for 2 to 3 weeks but require several weeks to germinate. In Brazil, the tree blooms from August to November and the fruits mature from December to May. In Florida, flowers appear in April and May and a second time in August and September, and the fruits are in season from May to August and again in October and November. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Moraceae Jackfruit is handsome and stately tree, 30 to 70 ft (9-21 m) tall, with evergreen, alternate, glossy, somewhat leathery leaves to 9 in (22.5 cm) long, oval on mature wood, sometimes oblong or deeply lobed on young shoots. All parts contain a sticky, white latex. Short, stout flowering twigs emerge from the trunk and large branches, or even from the soil-covered base of very old trees. The tree is monoecious: tiny male flowers are borne in oblong clusters 2 to 4 in (5-10 cm) in length; the female flower clusters are elliptic or rounded. Largest of all tree-borne fruits, the jackfruit may be 8 in to 3 ft (20-90 cm) long and 6 to 20 in (15-50 cm) wide, and the weight ranges from 10 to 60 or even as much as 110 lbs! Many people think Jackfruit tastes like Juicyfruit gum. Seedlings can bear fruits in three to five years. excerpt from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Image by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Guava 'Ruby x Supreme' 10.40 (Psidium guajava) Myrtaceae A small tree to 33 ft high, with spreading branches, the guava is easy to recognize because of its smooth, thin, copper-colored bark that flakes off, showing the greenish layer beneath; and also because of the attractive, "bony" aspect of its trunk which may in time attain a diameter of 10 in. Young twigs are quadrangular and downy. The leaves, aromatic when crushed, are evergreen, opposite, short-petioled, oval or oblong-elliptic, somewhat irregular in outline. The fruit, exuding a strong, sweet, musky odor when ripe, may be round, ovoid, or pear-shaped, 2 to 4 in long. Next to the skin is a layer of somewhat granular flesh, 1/8" to 1/2" thick, white, yellowish, light- or dark-pink, or near-red, juicy, acid, subacid, or sweet and flavorful. The central pulp, concolorous or slightly darker in tone, is juicy and normally filled with very hard, yellowish seeds. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Eric Bronson licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Chupa-Chupa (Quararibea cordata) Malvaceae The chupa-chupa tree is fast-growing, erect, to 130 or even 145 ft (40-45 m) high in the wild, though often no more than 40 ft (12 m) in cultivation. It is sometimes buttressed; has stiff branches in tiered whorls of 5; and copious gummy yellow latex. The fruit is rounded, ovoid or elliptic with a prominent, rounded knob at the apex and is capped with a 2- to 5-lobed, velvety, leathery, strongly persistent calyx at the base; 4 to 5 3/4 in (10-14.5 cm) long and to 3 3/16 in (8 cm) wide, and may weigh as much as 28 oz (800 g). The rind is thick, leathery, greenish-brown, and downy. The flesh, orange-yellow, soft, juicy, sweet and of agreeable flavor surrounds 2 to 5 seeds, to 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long and 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, from which long fibers extend through the flesh. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Chris Hind © All Rights Reserved 2009
Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum) Cupuassu is an arboreal species which reaches 15 to 20m in height, but less than 8 m when cultivated. Its leaves are simple, alternate and coriaceous. 25 to 35 cm long and 6 to 10 cm wide, with a bright-green, pubescent upper surface and grey underside. It has a cymose inflorescence with three to five flowers, five dark-purple subtrapezoidal petals, a calyx with five triangular sepals, five stamens with bilocular anthers, five staminodes and a pentagonal superior ovary with five locules containing numerous seed primordia. Pollination is carried out mainly by ants and aphids, with vespertine anthesis. The fruit occurs in the form of a drupe and is strong and pleasant smelling. It is smooth on the outside, ellipsoidal, 25 cm long by 12 cm wide and weighs up to 1.5 kg. The endocarp is white, soft and sour-tasting, containing 25 to 50 superposed seeds in five rows. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) Annonaceae - 'Red' grown by George Berish The custard apple tree is erect, with a rounded or spreading crown and trunk 10 to 14 in (25-35 cm) thick. Height ranges from 15 to 35 ft (4.5-10 m). Flowers, in drooping clusters, are fragrant, slender, with 3 outer fleshy, narrow petals 3/4 to 1 1/4 in (2 3 cm) long; light-green externally and pale-yellow with a dark-red or purple spot on the inside at the base. The flowers never fully open. The compound fruit, 3 l/4 to 6 1/2 in (8-16 cm) in diameter, may be symmetrically heart-shaped, lopsided, or irregular; or nearly round, or oblate, with a deep or shallow depression at the base. The skin, thin but tough, may be yellow or brownish when ripe, with a pink, reddish or brownish-red blush, and faintly, moderately, or distinctly reticulated. There is a thick, cream-white layer of custardlike, somewhat granular, flesh beneath the skin surrounding the concolorous moderately juicy segments. from 'Fruits of Warm Climates' Julia Morton http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html
Photo by Noel Ramos © All Rights Reserved 2009
Imbe close-up (Garcinia livingstonei) Clusiaceae Image by Chris Hind © All Rights Reserved 2009]
Wax Jambu (Syzygium samarangense )
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