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I moved to the tropics and have been learning a whole new fauna. Some stuff that will do well in the understory includes: jaboticaba, caimito, acerola (aka nank

I moved to the tropics and have been learning a whole new fauna. Some stuff that will do well in the understory includes: jaboticaba, caimito, acerola (aka nanking cherry), borojo, biriba, pitanga and, believe it or not, a lot of citrus (we have wild limes on the jungle edges, and are planting more cultured varieties). I have a very early stage fruit blog going at http://fruitytropics.com http://fruitytropics.com, in case anybody's interested.

mint2 5y ago
I wish I could find a jaboticaba at a reasonable price in SoCal. They seem to grow okay but the one nursery I went to look at them they were very expensive because they’re rare here. Also they were mature plants kept in too small pots longer than they should have been so I didn’t get one of those ones.
- pvaldes 5y ago
  In Jaboticaba look for a plant with several trunks branching near the root. The trunk is the part holding the fruits so: more trunks, more fruit. Price in fruit trees is relative. They pay for itself. If you really want one just buy it when is big. Is an expensive investment in terms of time, the sooner you start and the bigger plant, the better.
thunderbong 5y ago
> I moved to the tropics and have been learning a whole new fauna I think you meant 'flora'
- samstave 5y ago
  It was the meat of his comment...
- smallerfish 5y ago
  Haha, indeed. Well, too late to edit
chana_masala 5y ago
Thank you for sharing. Where in the tropics are you? I am in the South Pacific
- smallerfish 5y ago
  Pacific Costa Rica. Do you do any gardening?
mucholove 5y ago
I have Acerola cherry too—but the only ones that fruit or flower are in full aun. Will need to try small Caimito. My understory plants are coffee and cacao. Also banana can grow. We have a Zapote tree and we need to find a place between the Coconuts…your comment makes me want to find a new spot for the lemon tree… Would love to connect!
- smallerfish 5y ago
  > I have Acerola cherry too—but the only ones that fruit or flower are in full aun. Interesting, I've always read in permaculture books that nanking is a good understory fruiter, and my local permie nurseryman said the same. Maybe it's a myth. How shaded are your non producing ones? Oh and I have a nicely producing lime tree (at least 20+ years old) that at best gets 1 hour of dappled sun a day - it's on the edge but with very thick canopy above it. Here they call the variety "limon" - my understanding is that it's an ancestor to modern lime/lemon varieties.
pvaldes 5y ago
Footnote: Remember that Passiflora must be eaten full ripe.

mint2 5y ago

I wish I could find a jaboticaba at a reasonable price in SoCal. They seem to grow okay but the one nursery I went to look at them they were very expensive because they’re rare here. Also they were mature plants kept in too small pots longer than they should have been so I didn’t get one of those ones.

pvaldes 5y ago
In Jaboticaba look for a plant with several trunks branching near the root. The trunk is the part holding the fruits so: more trunks, more fruit. Price in fruit trees is relative. They pay for itself. If you really want one just buy it when is big. Is an expensive investment in terms of time, the sooner you start and the bigger plant, the better.

thunderbong 5y ago

> I moved to the tropics and have been learning a whole new fauna I think you meant 'flora'

samstave 5y ago
It was the meat of his comment...
smallerfish 5y ago
Haha, indeed. Well, too late to edit

chana_masala 5y ago

Thank you for sharing. Where in the tropics are you? I am in the South Pacific

smallerfish 5y ago
Pacific Costa Rica. Do you do any gardening?

mucholove 5y ago

I have Acerola cherry too—but the only ones that fruit or flower are in full aun. Will need to try small Caimito. My understory plants are coffee and cacao. Also banana can grow. We have a Zapote tree and we need to find a place between the Coconuts…your comment makes me want to find a new spot for the lemon tree… Would love to connect!

smallerfish 5y ago
> I have Acerola cherry too—but the only ones that fruit or flower are in full aun. Interesting, I've always read in permaculture books that nanking is a good understory fruiter, and my local permie nurseryman said the same. Maybe it's a myth. How shaded are your non producing ones? Oh and I have a nicely producing lime tree (at least 20+ years old) that at best gets 1 hour of dappled sun a day - it's on the edge but with very thick canopy above it. Here they call the variety "limon" - my understanding is that it's an ancestor to modern lime/lemon varieties.

pvaldes 5y ago

Footnote: Remember that Passiflora must be eaten full ripe.