Fruit Trees -- C - Tropical Fruit Information

Tropical Fruit Information

Fruit Trees -- C

Fruiting Trees, Shrubs and Herbaceous Plants -- C

++ Indicates that this is a variety or a species that is found in our arboretum, but not often stocked in our nursery. Inquire about availability. If we do not have it in stock, we can put you on our "waitlist" and call you when we have it available.

Caimito (Star Apple)

Chrysophyllum caimito

Caimito produces a round, purple fruit 2-4 inches in diameter. The skin and rind are inedible and contain latex, but the pulp is soft, purple and white, and sweet. It is good eaten fresh or mixed with other fruits. The tree is beautiful with bronze leaf undersides and does well in any well-drained soil. It fruits in five to ten years from seed or possibly the first year if grafted. Fruit may be produced from late winter or early spring to early summer. Fruit is often lost due to defoliation from cold. Mature trees are seriously injured at 28º F and young trees may be killed by a short time of 31º F. We have a tree planted in our arboretum and another in the landscaped area between our library and office building.

Canistel (Eggfruit)

Pouteria campechiana

Canistel

FCFS available. Canistel is also called eggfruit since the flesh resembles a hard-boiled egg yolk in color and texture. The fruit is usually sweet and some varieties have a musky aroma. The fruit is good eaten fresh or made into delicious eggnog-like milk shakes by blending with milk. The fruit is high in niacin and carotene and moderate in vitamin C. The tree seldom grows to more than 25¢ high. It tolerates poor soils and may even fruit better on thin soils. Trees are almost always healthy and nearly pest-free. Fruit production starts in 3 to 6 years from seed and sooner from grafted trees in December through May. A tree in a 30-gallon pot at ECHO has produced well for several years. Young trees can be killed if temperatures drop below 29ºF; mature trees can withstand 23ºF for a short time. There are trees located in the east end of ECHO's arboretum.

'Bruce' This cultivar fruits August - October and February - March. Fruits have dry flesh, are large and are of fair eating quality.

'Trompo' (formerly 9681) is a University of Florida selection. The fruit is large, sweet and has excellent texture.

Carambola (Star Fruit)

Averrhoa carambola

Carambola

FCFS available. This is one of the most productive fruit trees. If you only know the sour fruit from backyard seedling trees, be sure to try the sweet grafted varieties! Fruit from grafted trees is one of the fastest growing new exports from Florida. Cross sections of the fruit make attractive yellow stars, giving rise to its alternate name of star fruit. Carambola has a thin skin and crisp, juicy, non-fibrous flesh. Usually there are two major blooms - one in April - May and another in September - October, with harvests June through February with peaks during August - October and December - February. The fruit can be eaten fresh, juiced, canned or dried. Under good conditions, mature trees can yield 200-300 lbs. of fruit per year. Flowers are small, pink and showy and attract a lot of bees. Seedling carambola trees can become large (ECHO has one over 30 feet). But they will fruit when young and even in a container. Soil should be well drained and slightly acid. Irrigation during drought is beneficial. Temperatures of 29º F can kill young trees. Large trees only lose leaves and small branches with short periods of 26-28º F. Our trees at ECHO produced fruit during the summer of 1997 after suffering extensive damage from the January freeze when temperatures stayed between 24-26º F for over 8 hours. Carambola will thrive in partial shade. The ridges of the fruit have concentrated levels of oxalic acid and should be cut off when serving the fruit. You can see several seedling trees to the north of the entrance to the nursery parking lot, and sweet varieties of grafted trees are near the duck pond, west of Mount Victor.

'Arkin' is the dominant cultivar in South Florida carambola orchards. Though lacking a deep orange color, yields are high, flavor is good and it handles shipping better than most other selections.

'Bell' bears large. Yellow-skinned fruit of excellent quality and flavor. The fruit are deeply winged and thus are susceptible to wind damage and scarring. Highly recommended for home production.

++'ECHO #1' is a seedling of 'Arkin' but looks more like 'Fwang Tung' with its pale yellow color. From initial evaluation in 1994 it is sweeter and has better flavor, but less color than the commercial variety.

'Fwang Tung' is a non-acid, pleasant tasting cultivar that bears short, stout, arrowhead-shaped fruit that is somewhat asymmetrical. The skin is light yellow when ripe, but Fwang Tung is mild enough to be eaten when green, as is the preference in some cultures.

'Hart' is a white-skinned cultivar, pearlike in flavor, described as sweet and delicious. Fruits are small and delicate. Trees are small and easy to manage.

'Kary' is sweeter than 'Arkin' and has more color and better flavor. Fruit is long and very juicy, but it is less crunchy than Arikin and Sri Kambangum. Skin is bright orange-yellow and of high-quality. Kary was selected at the University of Hawaii from a Malaysian clone. Highly recommended

'Sri Kambangum' looks similar to 'Arkin' with gold-coloring and uniform shape. Fruit is crunchy, and very sweet. It may become the new leading commercial variety. Local Nursery owners rate this variety number one.

++Carissa (Natal Plum)

Carissa macrocarpa, Carissa grandiflora

Carissa If you are in the market for a fruiting security shrub, carissa is a good candidate. Native to South Africa, and growing to 15 feet tall, it is loaded with small sharp thorns. Carissa leaves are ovate, glossy, dark green and leathery. The small, yet attractive white flowers are borne for much of the year, but flowering and fruiting is most heavy from May to September. The fruit, up to 2 ½ inches in length, is oblong in shape, tender and juicy, with a hint of strawberry taste. If eaten when unripe, the latex in the fruit is rather unpleasant. When ripe, the fruits are magenta-red in color, and make good jellies and pies. Carissa tolerates both flooding and drought, and mature plants can tolerate 26º F.

Cattley Guava (Strawberry Guava)

Psidium cattleianum, syns. Psidium littorale; Psidium chinense

Cattley Guava is one of the most outstanding edible hedges for Southern Florida as it is cold hardy to about 22º F. The red cattley guava tends to be a compact, bushy shrub whereas the yellow cattley guava has a more upright and open growth habit. Both make very nice container plants, as they will bear heavily in a pot. The fruits are about one inch long and are aromatic, spicy, subacid, and strawberry-like. They are not musky like regular guavas, but are seedy. They can be eaten fresh or made into jam, jelly, butter, or sherbet. The plant likes limestone and poor soils, but may produce more if grown on good soil and mulched. Fruit flies often attack the fruit. It tolerates a high water table, but may be killed by flooding. We have several trees on our property, some located in the landscaped area between the office building and the library.

Cherry of the Rio Grande

Eugenia aggregata

FCFS available: "Selected Eugenia Species." This fruit is somewhat similar to sweet cherries in flavor. The fruit is about one inch long, has a thin, tender, dark red skin and ripens April through June. Fruiting starts in about 2 to 5 years. This evergreen tree grows to about 15 feet has upright growth and attractive foliage and bark. It can survive short periods of 20º F. It is the most cold tolerant of ECHO's Eugenia species (Surinam cherry, pitomba, etc).

Chinese Laurel

see Bignay

Chocolate Pudding Tree

see Black Sapote

Ciruela

see Red Mombin

Citrus

FCFS available. Southwest Florida is an excellent environment for growing citrus. Trees will perform best in sunny locations and well-drained soil. At ECHO we have over 65 varieties of citrus trees planted. These varieties bear during different months; when you visit ECHO you can taste the fruits that are currently ripe. The following charts will help you choose from the many varieties we sell in the nursery. With only a few trees in your yard, you can have citrus fruit available all year. If you are not a permanent resident, take into consideration the varieties that are bearing during the months that you will be here and select accordingly. If you would like to take a potted tree up north, we have indicated a few trees better suited for container growing. Most if not all of the citrus varieties we carry are planted somewhere on our property. If you like, please ask to see a mature example of the tree you wish to purchase.

Sweet Oranges (Citrus sinensis) may be one of the most popular fruits in the world. They originate from southern China, southeastern Asia, and northeastern India. These trees may withstand short periods with temperatures as low as 24°F.

Ambersweet	Large fruit with variable seediness that is good for juicing or eating out-of-hand. Flesh separates effortlessly from the rind. Flavor is mildly sweet. Once established Ambersweet is productive, however, homeowners may have to wait several years as young trees sometimes yield low numbers and fruit of variable quality. Bears Oct-Jan.
Blood orange	Medium to large fruit with few seeds. Very good, unique flavor that hints of fresh berries. Striking red flecks throughout flesh. Excellent eating or juicing orange. Highly recommended. Voted best tasting sweet orange by ECHO interns in winter 2002. Bears Feb-April.
Hamlin	Small, seedless cultivar grown widely throughout Florida for juice. Sweet, easily peeled, light colored flesh. Tree is productive, cold hardy, and holds fruit well. Highly recommended. Bears Oct-Jan, but can hold until March.
Navel	Large, seedless fruit most popular for eating out-of-hand. Sections well, peels easily, sweet flavor, low in acid. Superior dooryard choice. Bears Oct-Jan.
Parson Brown	Small fruit containing many seeds. Flavorful, sweet and juicy fruit, but difficult to peel. Fruit hangs on tree after maturity until April or May, providing homeowners with an extended season.
Pineapple	Medium-sized orange with many seeds. Excellent eating or juice orange. Good external and internal color. Subject to alternate bearing and cold temperatures. Bears Dec-Jan.
Red Navel	Medium-sized seedless fruit. Sweet, low acid, Navel orange flavor. Peels easily. Pink flesh is genetically unstable and may cause other variability in plant. In Florida, fruit may be lighter pink because pigmentation is induced by cold weather. Fruit holds well on tree. Small to medium tree that bears Nov-Feb.
Rhode Red Valencia	Similar to Valencia in all ways, but flesh has deeper, richer color than Valencia and is being grown more widely for juice in Florida. Bears Mar-June. Highly recommended
Sanguinelli	Small ovate fruit containing few seeds. Rind is the most brilliant of the blood oranges and fairly difficult to peel. Bright reddish orange flesh is refreshingly delicious. Tree is attractive especially when fruiting, compact, and productive. Bears Feb-April.
Valencia	Medium-sized seedless orange excellent for juice and eating out-of-hand. Tree holds current crop and previous season's crop at the same time. Tends toward alternate bearing. Bears Mar-June.
Vernia	An early maturing, Valencia type orange. Bears January- March.

Tangelos (Citrus paradisi × C. reticulata, Citrus × tangelo) are grapefruit / tangerine hybrids that are often juicy, but do not have a long shelf life. All starred (*) fruits require a pollenizer tree planted within 100 ft.

*Minneola (Honeybell)	Large bell-shaped fruit containing few seeds. Superb flavor and so juicy that peeling is difficult and messy. Cold hardy and a heavy producer, but tends to alternate bear. Requires another citrus variety for cross-pollination. Bears Dec-March. Interestingly, Minneola is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and Dancy tangerine. Recommended pollenizers: Sunburst or Temple.
*Orlando	Medium to large sized fruit with variable seediness. Fruit is juicy, sections well, and peels without difficulty. Excellent quality and flavor. Most widely grown tangelo in Florida. Cold hardy. Bears Nov-Jan. Orlando is not an effective pollenizer for Minneola. Recommended pollenizers: Nova, Sunburst or Temple.

Mandarins (including Tangerines and Mandarin hybrids) Citrus reticulata and Tangors (C. reticulata × C. sinensis): Mandarins are a class of thin-skinned, usually easy-to-peel citrus. Traditionally, tangerines are red-orange mandarins, but today the name is loosely applied to many different mandarins. Tangors are tangerine / sweet orange hybrids. All starred (*) fruits require a pollenizer tree planted within 100 ft.

Clementine	Small to medium fruit that varies in seediness and peels easily. Flesh is bright orange, juicy, and has rich, sweet flavor. Attractive and compact tree with weeping habit. Bears Nov-Jan.
Dancy	Small tangerine with variable seediness. Sweet, high quality fruit. Loose skin peels effortlessly. Tree may bear alternately and often produces so heavily that limbs break. Bears Dec-Jan.
Fall Glo	Largest tangerine and has many seeds. Juicy commercial variety with sweet tangy flavor, peels easily. Susceptible to aphids and cold. Bears early, Oct-Nov.
King Mandarin	Large, orange-sized fruit with moderate seediness. Old time Florida mandarin with thick, rough, oily rind that peels easily. Fruit is sweet and moderately acidic. Late season variety that ripens April-June, may bear alternately.
Lee	Medium-sized fruit that varies in seediness. A mandarin that is easy to peel and excellent eaten out-of-hand. Lee is very juicy and has excellent sweet flavor with low acid content. The tree is cold hardy and densely foliated. Bears late Oct-Dec.
Murcott Honey	Small fruit that varies in seed content. Deep, orange, flesh has low acid and high sugar content. Murcott, also called the Honey-tangerine, is considered the sweetest tangerine. Very juicy with pleasant flavor, but not easily peeled. Bears alternately and later than most tangerines, Jan-Mar. Highly recommended.
Ortanique	Medium-sized tangor with few seeds. Flesh is very sweet and juicy with rich flavor. Difficult to peel. Tree is vigorous, large and a consistent producer. Bears late from Mar-June and stores well on the tree.
Page	Medium-sized bright orange-red fruit with few seeds. Richly colored flesh is sweet and excellent eaten out-of-hand or used in juice. Peels easily. Vigorous and productive bears Nov-Feb. An ECHO favorite, this variety is a cross between a Minneola tangelo and Clementine mandarin.
Ponkan	Medium to large fruit with few seeds. Ponkan has loose bumpy skin that peels in one piece. Low acid, sweet mandarin with excellent flavor. Bears alternately Dec-Jan. Highly recommended. Voted best mandarin by ECHO interns in the winter of 2002.
*Robinson	Small to medium fruit that varies in seed content. Sweet flesh has excellent flavor and rind is bright orange, thin, and peels with some difficulty. Branches are brittle and may break if heavy crops are not thinned. Very cold hardy and bears early Oct-Nov. Recommended pollenizers: Nova, Orlando, Temple or Sunburst.
*Sunburst	Medium-sized with variable seediness. Vibrant orange-red rind and flesh. Thin skin is not messy to peel, but is difficult to remove. Flavor is very good and sweet. A well-known commercial variety marketed as 'Christmas tangerine.' Small upright productive tree that bears Nov-Dec. Recommended pollenizers: Nova, Orlando or Temple.
Satsuma	Medium-sized, seedless, mandarin. Loose bumpy skin peels effortlessly. Flesh sections well and is mildly sweet and watery. Slow growing, extremely cold hardy tree bears very early, Sept-Nov.
Temple	Medium-sized tangor from Jamaica; varies in seediness. Highly colored, juicy flesh has rich, sweet (when fully mature), and spicy flavor. Excellent eating. Bumpy rind peels without making a juicy mess. Temple is an excellent pollenizer. The tree is somewhat thorny, sensitive to cold, and susceptible to aphids and scab. Bears Jan-Mar.

Grapefruits, Citrus paradisi, grow vigorously and can become large oak-sized trees. They can be excellent shade trees. Fruit can be harvested over an extended season because crop stores well on the tree. Once established, grapefruit trees are generally more cold hardy than other citrus. The following varieties are arranged in order of flesh color, lightest to darkest.

Duncan	Large fruit containing 50 or more seeds. The oldest cultivar in Florida, unsurpassed in flavor. Pale yellow flesh is juicy and sweet with a good sugar/acid balance. Duncan is a standard in quality for all grapefruits. Productive, cold hardy tree that bears Nov-March.
Marsh	Large seedless fruit with pale yellow flesh and rind. Very sweet, flavorful commercial juicing variety. Marsh bears Nov-March.
Thompson Pink	Large seedless fruit, with yellow peel and pink flesh that fades with age. Differs from Marsh only in flesh color. Sweet, flavorful, and bears Nov-March.
Ruby Red	Large seedless grapefruit. Rind is yellow with red blush. Pink flesh is sweet, juicy, and has fine flavor. Widely grown for juice and fruit cocktail. Also called 'Red Blush.' Bears Nov-May.
Ray Ruby	Medium-sized seedless fruit. Rind and flesh are darker and sweeter than Ruby Red. Ray Ruby has been rated the 1^st choice grapefruit among ECHO staff for several years in a row. Highly recommended. Bears Nov-May.
Flame Red	Medium-sized seedless grapefruit. Flesh is red, very sweet, and of excellent quality. Rind has pink hue, and fruit quality is most similar to Ray Ruby. Bears Nov-May.
Rio Red	Large seedless fruit that has yellow rind with red blush. The Flesh is deep red, juicy and has excellent sweet flavor. Bears Dec-April.

Acid Citrus: This includes the sour citrus, lemons(Citrus limon), limes(C. aurantifolia) and hybrids. Most varieties below would make good container trees.

Bearss	Large lemon with few seeds used for juice. Vigorous, thorny, and cold sensitive tree. Bears July-Dec.
Key Lime	Small, seedy, lime that can be picked green or yellow when fully ripe. Pale green flesh has superb flavor. Used for juice and key lime pie. Extremely cold sensitive, small, thorny tree that performs well in a container. Everbearing. ECHO also carries 'Thornless Key Lime', which is less productive than the thorny variety.
Lem-n-Lime	Large fruit with few seeds. Fruit can be used while green as a lime or used as a lemon after fruit turns yellow. Very juicy and acidic. Most productive tree at ECHO that bears nearly year round. Due to Tristeza infection, we are unable to propagate for sale.
Meyer Lemon	Large lemon with few seeds, low acid content, and smooth-skin. Small, bushy, and cold hardy tree that performs well in a pot. Excellent for lemonade. Very productive year round.
Ponderosa	Very large novelty fruit over 3 inches wide. Lots of seeds. Dwarf tree produces year round. Juice is used for pies and drinks. Cold sensitive. Bears year round.
Persian Lime	Large, seedless lime with green rind and flesh. Juicy and acidic with outstanding flavor. Vigorous, productive and cold hardy. Grown commercially in Florida. Also called 'Tahiti lime.' Bears June-Sept. Highly recommended. Voted best of the lemons and limes by ECHO interns in winter 2002.
Red Lime	Small orange fruit with few seeds. Flesh is bright orange, very juicy, and not too tart. Good for cooking and drinks. Tree is dwarfed and cold hardy. Limes hold well on tree year round, but large crops are born in the fall and winter.
Variegated Pink Lemon	Medium-sized fruit. Both the leaves and fruit are variegated. Beautiful pink flowers and pink flesh. Fairly cold sensitive.

Pummelo(Citrus maxima, syn. C. grandis, C. decumena), the largest citrus in the world, is often mistaken for its descendent the grapefruit. Fruits are usually between 4.5 to 10 inches in diameter, and may be round or pear shaped. A thick, soft rind that can be as thick as 1.5 inches envelops the flesh, which ranges in hue from white to deep red. The distinctive rind of the pummelo increases the shelf life of this citrus for up to six months-that is longer than any other citrus fruit. Each segment contains hardy "juice sacs", that easily separate from the segment wall-wedges maintain shape well and can be eaten out-of-hand or added to fruit salads. As a landscaping tree, the pummelo is a bushy, spreading evergreen with a weeping habit induced by the weight of large fruit. Vigorous growth requires management to prevent the boughs from becoming too leggy to support the fruit.

Hirado Buntan	Large pink-fleshed pummelo with many seeds. Fruit is round with thick yellow rind. Sections are very sweet and lack bitterness. Excellent flavor. Bears Nov- Mar.
Siamese Sweet	Large round fruit with few seeds. Superb sweet flavor, without bitterness. Flesh is pink. Bears Nov-March.
Goliath	Medium-sized, seedless, and pear-shaped. Thick yellow rind has pebbly texture. Pale yellow flesh is sweet with good flavor lacking acidity and bitterness. Bears Nov-Feb.

Unusual Citrus: Generally smaller trees that make excellent ornamental additions to a landscape. The kumquats and kumquat hybrids are small fruits with edible skin. These unusual fruits are excellent right off the tree, but most often used in canning and culinary arts. All grow well and fruit as containerized trees.

Calamondin	(X Citrofortunella mitis) Small, round, orange-fleshed fruits often borne in clusters. Fruits are sour and excellent for marmalades and cooking. Vigorous, productive, upright tree, that is hardy to 10º F.
Buddha's Hand	(C. medica var. sarcodactylus) Large, oblong yellow citron with finger-like appendages extending from the base of the fruit. When the fruit is ripe, the 'fingers' uncurl. Peels are candied, added to potpourri or used as a room freshener. Tree has low-spreading shrub habit making it an unusual ornamental year round. Very cold sensitive.
Limequat	(X Citrofortunella spp.) Small, yellow, sour lime-shaped fruits with edible rind that can be used for juice or as a condiment. The tree is more cold hardy than a regular lime, but not as productive.
Keiffer Lime (Kaffir Lime or Lime Leaf)	(Citrus hystrix) The Keiffer Lime leaves are a very popular spice in Thailand; their characteristic flavour appears in nearly every Thai soup, stir-fry or curry. Keiffer lime leaves have a very strong, characteristic fragrance that cannot easily be substituted by other spices. The fruit juice, which is very sour and has the same fragrance as the leaves, is sometimes added to fish or poultry dishes in Malaysia or Thailand, however the tree is not typically grown for its fruit.
Meiwa Kumquat	(Fortunella sp.) Small tree producing 1-1½ inch, round fruit that is sweeter and more cold hardy than Nagami. Bears Nov-Mar.
Nagami Kumquat	(Fortunella sp.) Small 1-1½ inch elongated fruits that are less sweet, but have more juice and brighter color than Meiwa. An attractive tree that bears Nov-Mar.
Orangequat	Small round or teardrop-shaped fruit with few seeds. The sweet rind encloses tart juicy flesh. This small tree is very cold hardy and holds fruit well. Bears Nov- Mar.

Seven varieties of citrus are recommended
for year round production of high quality fruits.

Choice #1	Choice #2
Hamlin Orange Sunburst Tangerine Honeybell Tangelo Murcott Tangor Valencia Orange Persian Lime Grapefruit	Hamlin Orange Page Tangelo Ponkan Tangerine Murcott Tangor Valencia Orange Persian Lime Grapefruit

We highly recommend the following citrus:

Tangerines
Sunburst* (early)
Ponkan (mid season)

Grapefruit
Ruby Red (dark pink)
Thompson Pink (light pink)
Ray Ruby (red)

Lime
Persian (commercial high quality)
Key (traditional, small lime)

Lemon
Meyer (dwarf, productive)

Orange
Hamlin (early)
Pineapple (mid season)
Valencia (late)
Navel (early eating)

Pummelo
Hirado Buntan

Tangelos
Page (early)
Orlando*
Honeybell*

Tangor
Murcott
W. Murcott

Table 3 Fruiting seasons in southwest Florida for citrus cultivars, arranged by citrus fruit categories, as described in the text on pages 3 to 15.

Citrus Type

Cultivar

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sweet Oranges

Ambersweet

Red Navel

Hamlin

Navel

Parson Brown

Pineapple

Blood

Red Valencia

Tangelos

Orlando

Minneola

Acid Citrus
(Lemons & Limes)

Persian Lime

Key Lime

Meyer Lemon

Var. Pink Lemon

Ponderosa Lemon

Unusual Citrus

Buddha's Hand

Orangequat

Kumquat

Calamondin

Tangerines, Mandarins
and hybrids

Fall Glo

Page

Clementine

Sunburst

Dancy

Ponkan

Murcott

Temple

Ortanique

King

Pummelos &
Grapefruit

Hirado Butan

Marsh

Ray Ruby

Rio Red

Ruby Red

Duncan

Thompson Pink

Cuban Mangosteen (Rheedia aristata)

Rheedia aristata

Cuban Mangosteen is an ornamental tree native to Brazil. The trees bear yellow, subacid fruits one inch in diameter that are used fresh or for jam. Because this tree bears very sharp-tipped leaves, it would work splendidly as a barrier to intruders in front of a window. The top half of our tree died back in the freeze of '97 when the temperature at ECHO was 24º F.

Custard Apple (Bullock's Heart)

Annona reticulata

Custard Apple Initially we thought that this was more of a curiosity than a great tasting fruit, though it had borne until this year (2002) very few fruits. When we harvested some this April (2002) we could not believe the beautiful and great tasting fruit inside. The eye appeal and the taste were superb. Interestingly, it is ripe when few tropical fruits are in season and months after the sugar apples and atemoyas (other members of the Annona family) are finished. The fruit's flesh is snow white in the interior with ends that resemble, according to our director, "mashed raspberries stirred into ice cream." It may take several years for the tree to start producing good-quality fruit, but when it does, it will be worth the wait! This is the second tree in our Annona row in our arboretum behind the nursery trailer.