Choosing Unusual Fruit Trees

Unusual Fruit Trees

There are some exciting and different fruit trees that you can try for your Central Texas gardens. We have many of these varieties are in stock now:

Pakistan Fruiting Mulberry

Extremely large ruby-red fruit 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Flesh firmer than most other named cultivars. Sweet with a fine balance of flavors. Quality - excellent. Tree spreading with large heart-shaped leaves. The Pakistan variety is less juicy, so may be a better choice for an area close to a sidewalk or entry. They are generally pest and disease free. The berries can be eaten out of hand or used in any way that other berries are used, such as in pies, tarts, puddings or sweetened and pureed as a sauce.

Black Persian Mulberry

M. nigra. Large black fruit, over an inch long and almost as wide. Juicy with a rich, subacid flavor. The tree is fairly drought-resistant once established.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

15-20 ft. Zones 5-8

Hardly considered a rare tree since it is native, but uncommon in landscapes. The main reason may be that it is difficult to transplant and should be moved when small. It can be grown as an understory tree in light shade but will also grow in full sun. Leaves are large and may be as much as 12 inches long. Flowers are unusual but not easily seen. The fruits are oval-shaped and are edible, with a taste suggesting banana. Plants grow best in moist, deep soils and often are found near streams, but they also will thrive in drier sites. The fruits usually are not abundant and animals eat them quickly. Nevertheless, plants should not be used where fruits may fall on walks or patios.

Fuyu (Fuyugaki) Persimmon

Diospyros kaki Linn

The Fuyu is a non-astringent variety. It is sweet and delicious when it has become orange to orange-red in color and is still firm. Ripens late and keeps well. Tree vigorous, spreading, productive. Most popular nonastringent cultivar in Japan The traditional use of the Fuyu is to eat it out of hand. After harvest, the Fuyu will stay firm two to three weeks if kept at room temperature and will gradually soften . Full sun with some air movement is recommended for persimmon trees, although they will tolerate some partial shade. Persimmons can withstand a wide rage of soil conditions though loamy soil is best. Native to China, where it has been cultivated for centuries. USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10.

Chinese Date (Jujube)

(Zizyphus jujube)
25-30 ft. Zones 6-8

Chinese date is also sometimes known as common Jujube and produces a date-like fruit about an inch long. It is not especially ornamental, with rather open branches. However, it has glossy green leaves and is essentially pest-free, which, combined with its unusual fruit, make it an interesting plant for certain sites. This plant is extremely tolerant of heat and drought. In most of the state, however, it is subject to winter damage as temperatures approach 0 degrees F or colder.

Capulin Cherry

Prunus salicifolia HBK. Rosaceae

Capulin Cherry is frost tolerant, withstanding 19° F with some damage to the smaller branches. In California a customer claims that his got down to 15° F with only minimal, temporary damage. Capulin cherries are photo period insensitive and do not require winter chill to bear fruit. The semi-deciduous tree is erect and somewhat umbrella-shaped with a short, stout trunk and rough, grayish bark. It is very fast growing and reaches a height of 10 feet in 12 to 18 months, eventually attaining a height of 30 feet or more. Capulin cherries are quite attractive, both when in bloom with dangling racemes covered with masses of flowers and after fruit set when the racemes are thick with green, light red or deep red ripening fruit. The trees are not exacting in their soil requirements and grow well on any reasonably fertile site. Drought tolerant, but they grow better and produce better fruit with regular watering.

Loquat

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica, Rosaceae) is a small, evergreen tree native to central-eastern China, introduced into Japan in very early times. In Europe it was planted in the 18th century (Morton 1987). It is grown both as an ornamental and for its fruit. It does well on a variety of soils but does best on clay loams with good drainage.

The fruits, which are borne in large loose clusters, are commonly round, oval, or pyriform and in the best cultivars may reach a length of 7 cm. They vary in color from pale yellow to deep orange and have a tough plum-like skin. The flesh is white to orange, firm or soft, juicy, and flavorful. From 1 to 4 smooth, brown seeds are commonly found in each fruit. The seeds comprise about 20% to 30% of the weight of the whole fruit (Insero, et al. 1990). Loquats are consumed largely as fresh fruit, although small amounts are used in jams, jellies, syrups, and pies (Shaw 1980). Loquats are high in vitamin A and minerals.

Generally, the loquat tree blooms in the autumn with fruits ripening in early spring (Apr.-May). They are normally pollinated by bees

Pomegranate

\Wonderful'–originated as a cutting in Florida and propagated in California in 1896. The fruit is oblate, very large, dark purple-red, with medium-thick rind; deep-red, juicy, winey pulp; medium-hard seeds. Plant is vigorous and productive. Red Loma - extra large, purple fruit Field Sweet - pink fruit, soft seed.

Che

Cudrania tricuspidata Bur. ex Lavallee

The che requires minimal care and has a tolerance of drought and poor. It can withstand temperatures of -20° F. The deciduous trees can eventually grow to about 25 ft. in height. Immature wood is thorny but loses its thorns as it matures. Female trees are larger and more robust than male trees. Fruit tastes somewhat like a round mulberry crossed with a lychee, 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The ripe fruits are an attractive red or maroon-red color with a juicy, rich red flesh inside and 3 to 6 small brown seeds per fruit, when fully soft ripe they develop a watermelon-like flavor that can be quite delicious! Ches need a warm, sunny location. They should not be planted near sidewalks since the fallen fruit will stain. Although somewhat drought-resistant, ches need to be watered in dry seasons.. No pests or diseases have been noted. The ripe fruit is attractive to birds, and deer will browse on both the fruit and foliage. Recommended by the City of Austin.

Red Strawberry Guava

Psidium cattleianum

A fairly slow-growing shrub or small tree, the cattley guava generally ranges from 6.5 to 14 ft. It does well in limestone and poor soils that would barely support other fruit trees. It is shallow- rooted but the red type is fairly drought tolerant. The red cattley guava is hardier than the common guava and can survive temperatures as low as 22 °F, The cattley guava is usually reported as disease- and pest-free.