Acerola

gus starts with ...
Hi,
I have recently been noticing that most of the leaves on my acerola cherry tree have started to take on some light brown marking all over them. It's almost like they are going woody coloured.
Is this normal?

gus says...
I will try and get my hands on a working camera thanks Amanda. I think I might be stressing over nothing though as it generally looks very healthy but just has some dry brown patches over some of the leaves. Just wondered if that was what the tree does in cooler weather or whether I will come home one day and find it shrivelled up and overrun by some horrible parasite.
Obviously I am very much a novice gardener

amanda says...
It could be gus - it does seem to prefer the warmer weather (is tropical/subtropical) but should survive a Perth winter ok (frost will likely damage it though)

John Mc says...
Can anyone tell me if they are all the "Florida Sweet" cv? I have two largish Acerola trees but wasn't sure if they were the Florida Sweet cv, so I bought a labelled Florida sweet from Daleys to be sure. They propagate from cuttings very easily. I'm thinking Daley's propagate them from cuttings if they only sell the Florida sweet variety.

amanda says...
Gus - i think they are a bit tougher than they seem - maybe when they are young it might be best to protect them from continuous less than 3oC..that's the absolute (and rare) coldest it gets here..(usually the easterly wind chill is really cold though...) If they have some physical shelter it should be fine. Mine has had zero shelter - even in 100km/hr+ winds.
If it looks like 1 or 2 oC nite in Perth - maybe just chuck some hessian or shade cloth over it.
To be honest - mine doesn't miss a beat in any weather (it's a Daleys also - maybe a Florida sweet - don't know) and we get to 45 oC in summer - so that's a huge temp range..? I don't baby it.

But I am beginning to realise that I have a great winter here, for fruit trees (and me too...actually nodded off at the wheel of the ride on mower the other day...so sublime was the weather :)

I don't bother pruning mine - except to 'balance' it - it has broken one heavy branch and healed perfectly on it's own. It doesn't have a pretty shape - so no point in forcing it.

It does have the itchy thing - but it only lasts a few seconds so no big deal...careful pruning will see that u are not trying to get to get the fruit from deep inside the tree... ;) Vase shape good.

I love the fruit - I just wish they were a little bigger - the flesh to seed ratio is just "ok" - but I find it worth it :) They don't seem to like shade! I have seen some growing here, in shade, and they don't produce. I get major flowering in a heat wave...

I feed mine with manure and chook pellets - it takes all fert's well tho'. Loves a deep water in summer - especially when flowering.

Nothing eats it - not even the locusts. Fruit fly don't seem interested. No pest problems as yet (4yrs)

That's about all I can tell you so far. I hope u are as happy as I am - I'd feel guilty now - if u weren't!? ;-)

Mike says...
Acerolas are very easy to grow.The young foliage has nettle like hairs that can make you itchy.There are few pests of them here and this is pest central.I recall a second variety with California in the name was available about 10-15 years ago.

amanda says...
Well - everyone who visits and tries them really likes them gus....so that's a good rap I think :) I love them....I find them a very refreshing (as I think I mentioned - like a cross between a raspberry and an apple - and juicy n crispy)

I just need to think of some different ways of maybe using them in my cooking too now.... :)

amanda says...
Then protect them from the birds Gus! It will likely flush again as the weather warms - I get 2 or 3 flushes thru summer (1st one started about a month ago)
They taste best when they go a deep red..yum!

KjW says...
They certainly are a nice tasting fruit.
Far better than the Brazilian cherry I think.
I had a hugh tree, but it had to come out because it was in the wrong spot.
Can't wait for my new one to start producing..:)

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1

KjW says...
Thanks Gus, Be patient, it's worth the wait, once your tree gets a bit of age and height to it, you'll have more fruit than you know what to do with..:)

Something to note about the Acerola to, their not known to grow from seed.
It would be interesting to hear from anyone that has grown one from seed.

Gus says...
That is insane KjW, I had no idea they can be so "tree like".
I assumed they would just develop into a kind of bushy shrubby kind of thing.
That must have been a big producer.
Did you ever do anything with the fruit like juicing, freezing, cooking or jamming them?

amanda says...
I am impressed too KjW! wow - had no idea they got that big!? ...I see that they are starting to put acerola into mixed juices at the supermarket (has high Vit C) Great work Gus!
Sometimes it's a race between me and the birds...they always know when they are just right for eating!
I just eat mine off the bush too. They will keep for a couple of days in the fridge tho. Wouldn;t it be great if someone could breed a larger fruit?? yum.

Gus says...
Thanks for the pic Amanda

That looks like it is going great guns!
Mine has put on a fair few flowers but nothing like that. I think you will be in for a bumper crop this year. You will be so full of vitamin C you may never get a cold again.

I have had about four fruit now and think they taste great. Picking a good fruit is a little tricky and I have personally found they taste a little better before they go to that deep red colour. I only have my four fruit experience though.

I imagine your tree will look amazing for Xmas, and hopefully covered in fruit.

amanda says...
Oh Gus! I had a bumber crop - and I reckon cos the weather was cool and my bird bath full of water - that the birds didn't even touch them this year (I was so happy)....but...they were all perfect to pick and then xmas stuff got in the way - and we had 3x 40oC days - and the tree dropped every single lovely ripe fruit... wahhh!!! :-(((

So upset/mad! Grab them when u can cos I reckon the tree excises them once they are ready.

snottiegobble says...
Hate to ask you this Gus, but where the hell is K L ??

melissa says...
i got to taste my first acerola cherry and it was absolutely delicious despite being from an un-named plant. cannot wait until it produces more fruit.

MaryT says...
Melissa it's good to know they grow in Sydney! I must give it a try though it may not do so well in a container?

MaryT says...
Thanks Amanda; Daleys' info says it's suitable for containers as well. Question is whether I can squash another tree into the concrete car space that is my 'garden'. :)

amanda says...
I haven't paid much attention as to what wood it flowers on? (for pruning when in a container?)
It's a spikey plant MaryT - you might want to leave a little room around it so u don't poke yourself (or rub up against the leaves - as they can have itchy little hairs on them)

Gus says...
I have never noticed the spikes myself.
Weird. I even find my zuccini plant far worse to brush past

Gus says...
That I get. You do get a lot of rather random formations. Not really a practical tree for a small area.

Gus says...
Mine has kind of done the same thing Amanda.
Just when you think its game over you wake up one day and it is covered with pink flowers.
mine is not as prolific as yours, but it is still a goer all right.
If I got a fruit for every flower I would have hundreds, but only a few make it through to the next round.

BJ says...
Is it just me, or does the acerola taste like a Brazilian Cherry, without any of the good or bad tastes of that fruit. That is, a tasteless Brazilian Cherry?

Michael says...
I bought my acerola from daleys three years ago and grew it in a pot.The first year it was full of flowers but set no fruit .The same thing happened the second year . This year the only thing I added was some potash in liquid form and it has been giving me fruits for the last two months . Just when I thought it was all over it started to flower again and tiny fruits are starting to appear again . Could it be the potash ? I'm not sure but my wife is happy eating the fruits and not complaining for once .

john says...
Yup, the acerola is quite tasteless ,at least the ones I've tried, but will change my mind instantly if I get a good one . Brazilian cherry is loosely used for BOTH grumichama and pitanga . The grumichama at my place took longer than 10 years to fruit and it is OK ,no more than that ; comparisons with a true cherry are fanciful.
I have planted a black pitanga which has a better rep. The common pitanga tastes "poisonous" (Glowinski)

amanda says...
Seems we all have some "generic brand" duds hey? This is what puts a fruit into disrepute, unfortunately.

I love my (black) Grumichama..it's delicious and I love my acerola too. They are too small to be "A class" fruit but they are still worthwhile for me. In a better climate zone - I could grow better fruit and would perhaps ignore these outsiders.

I just wish we could stop calling them "cherries" too john. Between the Barbados, Brazilian and Surnimam (sp?), capulin, cedar bay etc..it's got a bit silly really..?

I would like to try yellow Grumi's Mike - as i reckon the yellow strawberry guavas are also far superior to the reds - in size and sweetness?

amanda says...
Maybe it's the climate thing again Mike? (re Acerola) U are tropical we are Med. I have eaten tomatoes grown in the sub-tropics too and I reckon they are the worst I have ever come across.
Maybe the toms u grow there taste good to U...but how do u know if u have not tasted better? I reckon they are lousy myself..? :)

It's all relative...but some fruit have no redeeming factors at all, it seems. They are just trendy/unique/novel..?

I think it's a huge shame that some plants are just "chucked" out there, as seedlings, that will never perform. It's not fair on the buyer, at all. It also does not give a Nursery a good rap either.

And: (as a perfect example) U can't expect a tangello/minneola to do that well in Cairns...but we all know that tangellos are a good fruit - and many of us will buy the fruit in the shop - and will also have a go at growing it too.

Does this make sense?

amanda says...
I am doubtful Mike (in a nice way) I don't go a day without eating tomatoes (truly) Living in cairns killed me - and I grew my own tom's there too...

I will just have to visit U and Brendan, when I next visit Mother-in-law, and do a taste test? :D

amanda says...
Sounds nice Mike. We have had thunderstorms predicted for 50%+ of the last 60 days - but not a drop of rain :-(

I don't know why I bother to grow tom's here. $1.50/punnet for the most amazing cherry toms I have ever had.

melissa says...
i have mine in a pot, don't notice the hairs too much but i do love the interesting shape they grow in.. it's a living sculpture..

funnily enough the thing that got me into unusual fruit trees was the pitanga, i saw it in the nursery and thought it was interesting but thankfully did not waste my money on it.

i feel so sorry for you Amanda..

amanda says...
That's not fair Gus! Birds sometimes peck at mine and mice have a nibble - but the entire fruit doesn't vanish.

There are no seeds on the ground? No droppings from rats maybe? Do u have possums? I have seen Kurrajongs eat grapes whole.

More of my fruit are protected now the tree is much bigger - it's too dense for the birds anyway...

BJ says...
Keep them. They are small fruits and wont slow the establishment of the plant as will larger fruit.

Gus says...
Would love to know where the fruit are disappearing. No sign of mice rats or anything.
Hope you enjoy the fruit db. I think they are great.

John Mc says...
It might be that it's still small? Mine are quite large bushes loaded in fruit and have been unaffected by the heavy weather.

BJ says...
Its the size. Are you sure all fell off? I thought all of mine fell off recently but they are just nearly impossible to spot until they get larger and redder. I got about 8-10 from the first crop where I thought none had set until i noticed red fruit.

BJ says...
they seem to like alot of water. I had mine in the wettest part of the garden, but the fruit arent high on my list, so it got rotated to the back of the yard. They can be dug up and moved anytime of the year with almost no problems. Tough buggers.

amanda says...
Have a had some problems with mine this summer too :-( I am wondering of it gets a bit contrary when there is too much change in the weather...?

I realise now that my fruit will almost ripen overnight in a heatwave - and the all of the fruit will drop.

I agree BJ - they do like their water - they can do without it...but do better with regular water when fruiting it seems...

Gus says...
I just found a little pocket that were ripening nicely on this hot day.
I ate a couple slightly underripe, but still good.
They are a fairly unpredictable tree

amanda says...
mickB...can u post the link that states this? That would be so strange...as they don't set from seed...so not weedy. Are they carrying a pathogen now? (eg: fungus)

Jim says...
Hi Mick

I thought Tass 1 was sourcing them locally. Anyway if he has run out ring Wandilla and if they don't have them there is a guy in the quokka that used to sell them. He has a massive one in his front yard, so you could at least get a cutting (seeds are hard to strike).

David says...
Mines just finished flowering and fruiting

mickB says...
Cheers Gus
mick@getsmartcomms.com.au

Db says...
Anyone?

Db says...
Thanks Mike, make sense... I hope tree starts producing again in coming spring/summer.

Db says...
Thanks Amanda, I hope mine starts producing again in coming spring/summer. It did flowered in last summer but didn't set any fruit after I transferred in ground (but as I said above it was fruiting well in pot)

Mike Tr says...
John is his name Carlos, the retired surgeon?

Mike Tr says...
Yes John and his name is mangaba. I sent some seeds to him. He didn't send any seeds back as he had trouble with the post office system as he is not used to sending seeds. He can get some o the best mangaba, bucuri and bucupari but just need a bit of coaching on how to do it.He has been less active lately.

It is amazing how much those giant acerola seeds look like Garcinia prainiana.

Mike Tr says...
He was very keen on finger limes John and I don't remember if I sent any to him. I did send them to a few others in Brazil.He has good connections with other growers but Recife is almost equatorial and southern Brazilian fruit would do better in NSW.

sternus1 says...
John,

your green is probably alstonville if it is seedless,otherwise it is tasty green. The round one isn't a finger lime, I'm not sure what it is--possibly a desert lime, though it doesn't quite look right for that either. Maybe the round Lime/gympie Lime?

Linton says...
Attention JohnMc1 - please put a picture of the Desert Lime tree as the the easiest way to tell is by the leaves.

Desert limes are being sold greatly by the nurseries in Melbourne now so I got one and it has long strappy leaves nothing like Finger Lime leaves which are smaller and more round.

Please study the leaves in web pictures below and you should know if it is Desert Lime or not. The reason I ask is because I am looking for some Desert Lime seeds to replace for some Mangabas which are not surviving here, so I am very keen to get these seeds.

By the way, I always threw out a lot of Finger Lime seeds as I ate them recently, but I can save them in future if needed. Chow!

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

JohnMc1 says...
My desert lime does not have leaves like that. I'll take some pics tomorrow. The leaves are indistinguishable from the others. I was surprised to see oval shaped fruit actually.

Brain says...
Yes, desert lime has weeping type foliage, almost gum leave like in form, definitely distinct from other finger limes. I.e. long and narrow leave shapes

other native oval lime could be the dooja lime - though I don't have one, so can't comment on the foliage.

jakfruit etiquette says...
I would say under ripe blood lime, def not round lime as they are quite different shape and colour.
Kinkan is the Japanese name for Fortunella Kumquats ie nagami + meiwa etc, i'd check to make sure its not just that.

JohnMc1 says...
There's still one fruit on the small bush, I'll let it go all the way and see what it turns into. The colour is a rusty yellow so far.