Gold Nugget Loquat

Years of living in Tucson and I kept passing these trees that had burned leaves from the summer sun.  I thought it was an interesting plant because the leaves were tropical looking, but I never understood why people planted a tree that got "burned":).  This plant clearly did not belong here and yet there it was....all over the place.  And then there were those orange fruits on it that made a huge mess all over the sidewalk! Fast forward to this last summer and I became enlightened about this tree from China. For years,  I worked at this place near the U of A library and they had a loquat tree.  The fruit looked edible but I thought they were poisonous until one day I was curious.  When no one was looking, I grabbed one off the tree and popped it into my mouth. Why did I do this?  I saw a Foreign Exchange Student do it at the U of A one night.  She seemed to enjoy it and not die from the experience. The taste was a cross between an apple and apricot with a big pit.  For years I have passed this tree frequently and for years, I've never tried the fruit!  To be fair, I never grew up with this plant in Wisconsin.

I like this plant a lot especially because it's very fragrant.  What I don't like about this plant is that it looks terrible in the summer when the sun's rays fry the leaves.  The U of A, however, had a perfect tree in the middle of summer without the burns.  So I noted the position of the tree on campus and the positions of "burned" loquats across town.  I discovered the East Side of our homes was the secret to a burn free loquat in Tucson. From my own experiences, the loquat took well to the freeze we just had and had zero issues with the summer because it received afternoon protection from the sun.  Loquat trees placed in the Northern or Eastern sides of a building seem to do very well. If you have a loquat tree in the Southern or Western sides of your home and are worried about the leaf burn, don't.  This doesn't hurt the tree at all, but it does make it look pretty shabby.  This tree is very easy to grow once you've chosen the right spot for it and give it some space as it can grow 15-30 feet high.  To be honest though, I've really only seen this tree around town grow to be about 20 feet tall at the most.  There is probably a loquat out there that is large, but I have yet to see it.  Fertilize mid-winter.  It's cold hardy between 20 and 30 degrees F.  It's a medium growing tree that will add tropical interest to your garden.  It blooms from fall to winter adding some color to your winter garden. It does require some water so it isn't quite xeric. It can be a messy tree so be aware of that issue.  However, I think you need to know that the fragrance of this tree is one of the strongest of our plants that grow in the desert.  The creosote is known for adding that desert rain smell while the loquat is known for the perfumed fragrance smell in the spring air.  It's quite sweet and strong.  When I first put the tree into the ground, I thought someone with perfume passed by me, but then I realized it was the plant....and I smiled.  So for beginning gardeners, I give this plant a 7.5 out of 10. I purchased this plant for 30 dollars and it has grown since it was introduced into the tropical garden. Some people love this fruit while others seem indifferent. I grow this tree for the scent and tropical looking leaves.  The fruits are for the birds:)
Until next time, happy gardening!

Red Baron Peach



The Red Baron Peach, pic taken from my garden in August

I don't know what's not to like about this next fantastic fruit tree. It performed so well here that I bought another tree because it offered so much to the landscape.  The blooms are a beautiful pink in spring with lovely slender leaves forming a month later.  It did excellent in the gardens and also produced fruit its' first year!!  It should be planted in full sun but protected from the afternoon scorch.

Fruit is ready to pick from mid-July to mid-August.  250 chill hours are needed for this delicious peach variety.  Those hours are very low requirements when compared to other fruit trees like the plum or apple. I highly recommend this tree for the zone 9'ers.  If you want something reliable, I think this is your tree.



Spring Blooms

This tree is ideal for Tucson and if you water this tree, it will do well. I wouldn't say xeric for this particular tree, but if you want fresh fruit from your back yard, this tree will not disappoint.  I have seen these trees around town and they are protected by homeowners.  You might even say sacred.  There is nothing better than eating a fresh peach right off the tree. I purchased two size types of this peach tree.  One is the normal size while the other was an "Ultra-Dwarf".  The size of the Ultra-Dwarf should be around 6-8 feet tops and just as wide with the spacing.  The other will reach a height of 16-25 feet.  It is a freestone variety meaning that the pit detaches freely from the fruit without any effort.   I give this tree a 9 out of 10 for beginners as long as they remember to water it.  Some fruit trees require a little effort.  This tree may require more pruning than other fruit trees to prevent branches from snapping off, etc.   A common practice is to prune the peach tree back 2/3rds which will encourage new growth in Spring ....which will ultimately set more peaches on the tree.  I love this tree and the taste of the fruit. It's one of my favorite trees to have in the garden.  Until next time........

Bush Pineapple Guava

Now from the tropics......

The Guava Flower

A fruit tree/bush from the tropics that does well here is the Guava.  I'm only aware of two general varieties sold in Tucson....the Strawberry Guava and the Pineapple Guava.  This is a pretty common plant that can be spotted here and there in people's yards around town.  If you see it at the gardening centers, don't hesitate to buy this plant or it will be gone before you know it.  I'm sure there are other varieties out there, but the Pineapple Variety is the most commonly seen in gardens.  If you've never had a guava, they are large delicious fruits that are sweet and juicy.  This plant can be found all over Mexico and it is made into a delicious "agua" or type of fruit juice.  Add a little lime with some fresh ginger and you have perfection.

This is a very hardy plant here and I honestly don't know why, but it likes Tucson.  After our hard freeze for a week, this plant came out in top notch form.  How?  I don't know.  Those of us who work with tropical plants know how devastating a freeze can be so for this plant to show barely any damage was pretty incredible.  It is self fertile.  You should prune it to increase fruit size.....AND get this!!  The flowers are pink and edible! I have never tasted the flower so I look forward to the experience.  It needs full sun and will grow to a height of 15 feet. I purchased this plant for around 23 dollars and it was the last one. This is another great plant to add tropical interest for your garden. Keep the ground moist and you'll have a happy plant.  Once it's more established you won't have to water as much.  I give this plant a 7 out of 10 for beginning gardeners as they will need to monitor this plant for the first several weeks. Most people prune this plant into a shrub form.  It, like the figs, can grow and get quite large.  It can also be messy and not everyone likes the taste of guava.  Here's why you'd plant this bush/tree.....

1.  You like guavas.  If you're not sure, go to a fancy fruit market and try one out first. For a 1.50,you'll know right away if you're going to plant this tree.  It has a very distinct taste.  If you are planting  "an edible garden", this is one for sure to have in Tucson. The fruit can be eaten fresh, as a juice, made into a jelly, or syrup.  I personally love it and you can find this product in a lot of Asian and Hispanic markets to try it for yourself.

2. You want to add to your tropical garden theme.
3.  You like flowering things and/or the smells that go with them.
4. You want something that won't die after it's established.
5. You want some color contrast to the green green green in your garden.  The silver green leaves really make it stand out.
Stay tuned for more fruit tree information in Zone 9a/b.
Guava pics from PhoenixTropical out of Mesa, AZ(9b) which is hotter than Tucson.  Evidence that these plants succeed in a harsh climate. http://www.phoenixtropicals.com/index.html If you live in the Phoenix area, this link has useful information regarding a nursery that sells plants and info on growing plants in your region.

This pic taken at El Presidio Gardens on 5/3/11

Fuji Apple

What?!  Apples in Tucson?  Yes it's real and I can personally share my experiences about this incredible tree.  I thought most apple trees could only grow in Willcox or in the foothills of our mountain chains.  Turns out that I was wrong!  I put this plant into the ground bareroot and it turned out to be one of the most shocking events this year.  Not only did it grow, but it flourished during the summer heat and survived our extreme freeze! 

I did not get any fruit off the trees this year and probably won't next year as it takes awhile for young apple trees to set fruit.  It did however grow with branches full of leaves.  Apparently, many people have apple trees in their yards here in Tucson, but I haven't seen any.  Again, I think the trees are hidden behind enclosed walls away from the general public. Another thing that you should know about fruit trees is that you can purchase many of these trees in their dwarf or ultra dwarf varieties.  I hear people say that they wish they could grow more fruit trees in their yards. So even if you can't fit a large tree onto your property, you can still have one in a pot or in an area with limited space!  What's better is that you'll still get a great crop of fruit from these trees! Now you have no excuse:)

I give this tree an 8 of out of 10 for the beginning gardener because I think for an apple tree to be successful here, you have to plant it in the right spot.  The tree should be protected from intense afternoon sun during the summer, but it does need sun to do well.  You just need to make sure you put it in the right spot which can be tricky.  Here's what I did, I planted a dwarf fuji apple near a mesquite....not under it or close to it but near it:) The canopy of the mesquite reaches far enough to provide afternoon shade for this smaller tree. The sun then filters through the mesquite's fernlike leaves and doesn't burn the apple leaves.  Here are the cold facts.....

They need 300-400 chill hours.

 Fuji apple trees bloom in mid- to late spring and can be planted with other mid- to late season bloomers, such as Gala and Goldrush varieties, for pollination.

Cultivate the soil to a depth of 15 to 18 inches and add organic material, such as compost. Plant trees with the graft line 2 inches above the soil.

Feed Fuji apple trees in early spring before new growth appears with a 12-12-12 fertilizer after the first year. Apply the fertilizer under the spread of the branches. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers.

There you have it! It's possible that something from the North can grow here in Tucson!!  There are more fruit trees to talk about so until next time, happy gardening!!!

Brown Turkey Fig

The 4th in the fruit tree series, Tucson Fruit Trees, examines the Brown Turkey Fig Tree.  Even though figs are really inverted flowers, I'm still going to call it fruit because it can be eaten straight off the tree. This is one of the most amazing trees to have in the southwest desert.  Not only is it tropical looking in our desert, it's also xeric in nature once established AND  can produce 2 crops a year!   It can grow from a height of 15 feet high to 30 feet high with the same amount regarding its' width.The tree enjoys the hot and dry climate here in Tucson and it's apparent as you can find these trees in many people's yards. It is medium growing.  However some people question whether or not you should plant this tree and here's why......
 It is a messy tree when the fruit falls.  If you don't eat figs or like figs, this tree can be a pain with its' fig litter on the ground....and if it falls on the sidewalk, you will also find that the fruit can stain the cement.

1.  It can become a massive tree and outgrows its' space quickly.
2. Birds LOVE this tree.  In the Amazon rainforest, a variety from this tree species attracts local fauna to come and eat its' fruit.  Monkeys, parrots, fruit bats, and many other animals travel miles to come and eat the figs from the tree. Sometimes it's the ONLY food source available.  This is how the tree propogates itself around various parts of the forest and therefore serves as one of the most important trees in the rainforest ecosystem.  Here in the desert southwest, birds, sometimes in the hundreds depending on the size of the tree, will gather in the tree and throw a bird party.  This can be rather annoying to our human counterparts if they are near the house and trying to sleep.  And let's not talk about the bird poo......
3. Finally, because this tree comes from the ficus family, roots can be invasive so do not plant near the foundation of your house or sidewalk.

Taken from my garden in its' first year!!!  Yes...that quick!

Here's why you should plant a fig.....

1. If you love birds, this tree attracts.
2. If you love fresh figs.
3. If you want shade in a sunny spot, and a sunny spot in winter....it's deciduous.
4. If you are creating a tropical garden in the desert.

These were delicious after putting them in the fridge. I do not like dried fig, but fresh off the tree is another story!!

I rate this tree with a 10 out of 10 score for gardener success, but it may receive a lower score by gardeners who regretted putting this tree into the ground in the first place. For me,  it did well in the summer and it produced fruit its' first year.  It has beautiful lush tropical leaves and the figs were delicious.  Currently it is a very sturdy looking plant (without the leaves) and I cannot wait until it begins to leaf out again in March!  This plant loves sun but give it space to grow.  It's cold hardy to about 5 degrees F and self fertile, producing a spring and sometimes winter crop depending on the winter temps.  It can grow to a height of 50 feet.  There's more to come in this fruit tree world including one that may shock you!!!  Until next time, happy gardening!!! 

Fuyu Persimmon

Fruit in November.  Note the leaves are about to fall off.  Leave the persimmon(fruit) on because it has to ripen a bit more.  This one fruit was ready to pick the first week of December.

The 3rd posting from the series "Fruit Trees for Tucson" will focus on the fuyu persimmon.  While writing my last post, I mentioned having issues with bareroot fruit trees.  You'll see the persimmon for sale bareroot and potted.  The potted persimmon can be quite expensive.  This unknown plant to me at the time was too much of a risk for me to waste money on....especially if the fruit tasted nasty.  So I opted for the bareroot tree over the pricey potted plant and purchased the Fuyu persimmon bareroot tree for 25 dollars.  This was much more expensive than the other fruit trees, most which were priced about 12-15 dollars.  I followed the directions  per the written instructions in the bag and let the stick in the soil for months.  All the fruit trees planted during the same time period began blooming and producing fruit while my Persimmon tree just sat dormant.  Finally I gave in and pulled the plant from the soil and discovered that there wasn't ANY growth at all!! And what did I do?  I broke down and purchased a potted Fuyu persimmon for around 70 dollars.  It was one of those impulse purchases, but one that I am glad I did. However I ended up spending more money for this plant!  I put the new potted plant into the ground and within months, I had fruits on this barely year old plant.  It then continued to grow and survive our summer heat.  In Tucson, I saw two varieties primarly sold....the Fuyu and Hachiya.  If you've never planted a persimmon before, you can read several of my previous blogs on my first experiences with this plant.  It's a simple upright plant with simple, yet beautiful, white flowers in Spring.  The green tomato like fruits form on the tree which later turn an orangish red.  They will also be the last remaining thing on the tree which you can begin picking off the branches in November.  The fruit has a short shelf life so be ready to eat them within a week after picking them.

A fruit on my tree....yellow in October; not ready to pick.

If I had to rate my experience with this plant, I would give it a 9 out of 10.  I think once it's established, I'll have to do very little.  This plant can grow in most types of soil(except sand) and is cold hardy here in the desert southwest. It's hardy up to 0 degrees. I didn't cover the plant during our extreme freeze and it looked great.  The ease of growing this plant in your garden is pretty low care on your part after it's established.  Trees can get to be quite large with 15 to 20 ft spacing and their height can reach 25 feet. Water this plant once or twice during the hot summer months on a long drip. I give this plant a 9 here because you have to watch the afternoon sun.  The tree was given a sunny spot protected from the wind on the North Side of the building.  If not protected from the afternoon sun, you will find the leaves tend to scorch and burn back.  Minimal fertilizing is recommended to prevent premature fruit drop.   Do not plant next to a eucalyptus tree as these two plants do not compete well together.  I know that many of us here in Tucson have at least one euc in our yard somewhere:)  While I haven't seen this tree at all in Tucson, it sure does grow well.  I think the reason that we don't see the persimmon is due to the fact that not many people know what a persimmon is.  If you see one in your store, I highly recommend trying the persimmon out.  Until next time, happy fruit tree hunting!!

Santa Rosa Plum

For every success story, there is one that falls below expectations. To be fair, I purchased this plant bareroot and this is what I have to say about bareroot vs. potted.  While bareroot fruit trees are cheaper than their potted counterparts, they also take a little longer to establish themselves.  I think I discovered that I'm definitely a potted fruit tree guy. This tree was the last one to leaf out and I was very worried that it wasn't going to do anything.  However, it leafed out and began to grow.  The branches were easily broken and it just looked terrible. Then some time in the summer it began to look like a tree and I didn't worry anymore.  Today that tree still has leaves and is doing well.  It didn't produce any fruit last year and I don't think it's going to do much this year.  The tree is growing and doing alright, but it wasn't a showstopper for me.  I rate this tree a 6 out of 10 for performance and difficulty growing.  Had I not paid attention to it, I don't think this plant would be alive.  It requires a bit of work, but once it was established, I didn't have to do much.  I personally love plums so I put them in a spot that receives quite a bit of sun with afternoon shade...it really was the sweet spot of the garden.  I planted it next to another plum tree that did much better over this variety.  The problem is that it needs this tree to cross pollinate because the Satsuma Plum cannot produce fruit on its' own.  While this plum tree did not fail; it did not entirely meet my expectations.  With that said, I am happy today that it's in the garden and growing.  I'm patient.  Here are the cold facts:)

My Santa Rosa plum tree after it finally leafed out!! It is a bit larger now.

Fruit is delicious and best eaten right off the tree.  It only needs 250 hours of chilling time(perfect for you folks in Phoenix...just watch the sun AND this guy drinks water!). The fruit ripens early June to early July. It is one of the largest and most beautiful Japanese plums with a fragrant yellow flesh.  It is a good backyard variety.  The Santa Rosa Plum tree is self fertile(makes fruit on its' own) and one of the most popular plum trees in the United States with more than 30 percent of the country's total plum crop coming from this tree. This tree can grow up to 25 feet tall.  There are currently no dwarf varieties for plums like there are for other fruit trees.  They love full sun and thrive in any soil.  It can be susceptible to Plum Leaf Scald, but I haven't seen this issue here in Tucson.  Tucson has a variety of plum trees, but they are well hidden.  To be honest, I have not seen any here, but gardeners assure me that people do grow them and have wonderful plums. It's like the "avocado tree" that everyone says grows in Tucson.....like a unicorn....don't think I'll ever see one! But the plum tree does grow here.  The picture above is evidence.  If you are a caring gardener, put one in your backyard.  If you are a gardener who just likes a tree to fruit without any assistance, this is not the tree to plant.  It requires a bit of TLC.  This is the second post on Tucson Fruit Trees.   Until next time, Happy Gardening!!

Pomegranate "Wonderful"

Today I am going to kick off a series of postings that will be about fruit trees that are currently growing in the El Presidio Gardens.  They will be a part of the Tucson Fruit Trees series over the next several days.  Why now?  Besides seeing the million and one varieties of hybrid roses at your local garden dealer, you'll also see a lot of bareroot fruit trees in packages along with their siblings in buckets or biodegradable pots.  This series will include my experiences with each fruit tree over the past year and whether or not they performed well.  Last year I was overwhelmed by the amount of fruit, berry, and nut trees available.  Basically, I had to pick and choose which ones to plant. It was also frustrating to type information into the computer and find nothing on gardener's experiences in Tucson with these plants in their own backyards. I guess I'm the guinea pig and I'll gladly share my experiences at what turned out to be a costly event last January while shopping for all of these fruit trees.
My first selection of the series is the Pomegranate Wonderful.  For 30 dollars, I put this shrubby tree into the corner of the garden that gets mostly light with some afternoon shade.  This plant can be put into full sun or part sun that gets at least 6 hours  .  It is deciduous and flowers in both spring and early summer.  It's hardy to 0 degrees and should be protected from winter or cold winds in its' infancy.  It has a max size of 20' tall by 15' wide and I've seen it get larger than this.  It needs at least 15' of space and it has a vase shape when fully grown.  It states to fertilize once a month, but I don't do this every month.....I fertilize about every 3 months.  It's low maintenance and once established doesn't need a lot of water.  I water in the summer about once or twice a week unless the monsoon is good.

Chile en Nogada is a famous Mexican Dish that uses the colors of the Mexican flag with pomegranates serving as the red part of their banner.  Recipe below and IT'S DELICIOUS!!  I've had it several times with my Mexican family on September 17th. Give yourselves a couple days to prepare it.
Pic and recipe taken from Cocina Eclectica http://cocinaeclectica.com/?s=chiles+en+nogada
I love this blog for the dishes listed as well as how to set up your table with a dinner theme in mind.

My experience as a Tucson gardener with this plant has been pleasant.  It is low maintenance indeed and makes an attractive addition to the garden.  There has been ZERO issue with this plant and it has performed extremely well.  I would rate this plant as a 10 for Tucson because we really do have the perfect conditions for growing pomegranates here.  Considering the cost of 1 pomegranate in the grocery store, this shrubby tree will pay itself back over the years.  Tucson is loaded with these trees and it's very common to see them all over the place.  While pomegranates are delicious and have many healthy benefits(lowering blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer), they can be difficult to open and eat and require a bit of patience.  Also one needs to be careful with the red juice that bursts forth from the fruit as it will stain your clothes.  It may take several years for this tree to produce fruit and grow to height, but I personally think it's worth the wait.  If you want something green to grow and don't want it to die, this is your plant. There are no chill hours required for this tree and it is self fertile. Stay tuned for more fruit trees that you'll be seeing in your local Arizona nursery.  Until next time, save your money for the planting fun this winter and spring!! Edible landscaping is the best!