Exotic Fruits to Grow in Orange County
Do your taste buds yearn for something different? Are home-grown apples and oranges not unusual enough for you? If so, try growing something more exotic—rare fruits!
Thanks to the mild Orange County winters, we can grow a variety of fruits native to other parts of the world, such as jujube, mango, sapote, guava, cherimoya, and carambola.
“Because rare fruits aren’t native to this country, for some people it’s an education of the palate to try them,” said Pat Sawyer of Fullerton, chairman of the Orange County Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers.
Those familiar with rare fruits know they can be difficult to find in the market. When they are available, they often come with a hefty price tag, sometimes as high as $8 per pound.
Exotic Fruits Thriving in Southern California
Many rare fruits in Southern California are subtropical and often bear fruit during our fall and winter months, which align with spring and summer in their native habitats.
Why Grow Rare Fruits?
“Rare fruit trees enable you to have fruit all year-round,” Sawyer said. “During colder months, when warm-weather fruits such as peaches and plums aren’t bearing, you can harvest guavas and cherimoyas.”
Not all rare fruits bear in winter. “When a fruit grows depends on the tree and variety,” said Eunice Messner of Anaheim Hills, a member of the Rare Fruit Growers and a rare-fruit gardener for over 14 years. “Some trees fruit all year, while others may have more than one crop each year.”
Popular Rare Fruits to Grow
Some rare fruits are reminiscent of more common varieties, while others offer entirely unique tastes:
- Cherimoya: Similar in taste to pineapple but without the acidity.
- Black Sapote: Known as the “chocolate pudding tree” due to its rich, chocolate-like taste and consistency.
- Miracle Fruit: A small red berry that alters your taste perception, making sour fruits like lemons and limes taste sweet.
- Jujube: Tastes like a dry, sweet apple when picked green, and like dates when dried on the tree.
Tips for Growing Rare Fruit Trees
Although some rare fruits can be temperamental, many are surprisingly easy to grow with the right care. Here are a few tips for success:
- Educate Yourself: Learn about the specific needs of the tree you’re planting, as many rare fruit trees are sensitive to temperature changes.
- Know Your Climate: Ensure you understand your yard’s microclimate, as it can vary significantly from your neighbor’s.
- Temperature Tolerance: Most rare fruits struggle when temperatures exceed 100°F or fall below 32°F for extended periods.
- Placement: Plant rare fruit trees on the south side of your house for the most sun, and avoid planting on the north side as it receives little sunlight in winter.
- Frost Protection: Use a cotton bedsheet to cover your trees during overnight frost and remove it in the morning.
- Watering: Regular watering is essential, especially for trees in containers, as they have no natural water reservoir. However, avoid overwatering.
- Mulching: Use mulch to maintain soil moisture and regularly fertilize with an all-purpose fertilizer.
- Purchase Grafted Trees: When starting out, buy a grafted tree instead of trying to grow one from a seedling.
- Consider Tree Size: Be mindful of the size your tree will reach when fully grown—some trees, like mangoes, take up a lot of space even in mild climates.
- Container Planting: For container plants, use pots no smaller than 15 gallons.
Where to Find Rare Fruit Trees
Exotic fruit trees are more challenging to find than regular varieties. Here are some places where you can purchase them:
- Roger Meyer in Fountain Valley: (714) 839-0796 (evening calls)
- Laguna Hills Nursery in Lake Forest: (714) 830-5653
- Green Scene Plant Sale at the Fullerton Arboretum (late April)
For more information on the Orange County Rare Fruit Growers, including a complimentary copy of their newsletter, write to the membership chairman, Orange County Chapter, 1430 West Ave., Fullerton, CA 92633.
