Frutas Tropicales

Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Propagation

Jeff Wasielewski and Carlos Balerdi

New Plants for Florida: Tropical Fruit

Alan H. Chambers and Jonathan H. Crane

Florida tropical fruit industry acreage has fluctuated during the past 70 years due to natural disasters, foreign competition and changes in the U.S. demographics. Today, there are about 16,000 acres in cultivation, with an economic impact of over $137 million annually.

Lemon Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

Jonathan H. Crane

Managing Your Tropical Fruit Grove under Changing Water Table Levels

Jonathan H. Crane, Carlos F. Balerdi, and Bruce Schaffer

This fact sheet has been prepared by IFAS faculty working with tropical fruit crops in an effort to assist growers manage their groves under conditions of flooding, high water tables, or drought. Although weather events cannot be controlled, becoming familiar with the effects of a high water table, flooding, or drought on tropical fruit crops may assist growers in managing their fruit trees so they survive these events with minimal or no damage. However, this process will be impacted by ground water levels, which are managed in south Florida, and thus are dependent on regional water management decisions. 

Jujube as a Florida Fruit Crop

Kevin M. Folta, Dustin Huff, and Ali Sarkhosh

Despite being cultivated in China for millennia, the Chinese jujube is mostly unknown to Western consumers. The fruits are borne from vigorous trees that are tolerant to drought and other stresses, as well as disease. A number of cultivars have been demonstrated to produce in Florida. This publication is a review of jujube genetics and management as this crop gains favor among growers on small farms and home growers.

Planning for a Successful Commercial Subtropical/Tropical Fruit Grove

Jonathan Crane, Yuncong Li, Edward Evans, Fredy Ballen, and Jeff Wasielewski

Planning is the key to successful grove establishment, maintenance, and production. Developing a detailed infrastructure description and plan, cultural program, and financial and marketing plan for a new or existing grove with a new fruit crop will save you time and money and help minimize mistakes. Prospective growers should compile and analyze information needed to select a grove site, establish the needed infrastructure, and develop maintenance plans for the plants and how the production will be marketed. This publication presents an outline of the type of information growers need when establishing a tropical fruit grove or contemplating management or modification of an existing grove.

Irrigation System Descriptions for Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Crops in Florida

Jonathan Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Edward A. Evans, and Fredy Ballen

Florida's tropical and subtropical fruit crop industries use various irrigation systems, including high-volume systems designed for irrigation and freeze protection, drip systems for herbaceous fruit crops (papaya, banana), and microsprinkler types, mainly for irrigation and fertigation. There continues to be a steady stream of potential tropical and subtropical fruit producers in Florida, many with little to no knowledge of the various types or purposes of various irrigation system that have been used successfully for the past 60 years.

Achachairu—a Potential Fruit Crop for Florida

Sergio Gutierrez, Tatiana Sanchez, Zhaohui Tong, and Guodong Liu

Garcinia humilis is an emerging tropical fruit crop in South Florida commonly known as achachairu. Achachairu has attracted much interest as a healthy fruit crop because it is rich in many nutrients such as foliate, vitamins, riboflavin, minerals, and antioxidants. The current use is limited and localized. To help Extension faculty, growers, and students better understand the potential of achachairu (Garcinia humilis (Vahl) CD Adam)  and Garcinia madruno as profitable crops and their health benefits, this publication is synthesized from literature sources and has been networked with farmers, food processors, chefs, and photographers. This document provides an overview of achachairu and ocoro (Garcinia madruno [Kunth] Hammel)—two common species in the Garcinia genus—including cultivation methods and use of the two crops grown in Florida.

Estimación de costos de producción de maracuyá morada en sur de Florida

Trent Blare, Victor Contreras, Fredy H. Ballen, Joshua D. Anderson, Jonathan H. Crane, Nicholas Haley, y Andrés Bejarano

Esta publicación examina los costos estimados y los rendimientos de una plantación de maracuyá morada establecida en el sur de Florida. La información presentada en este documento se recopiló a través de entrevistas de campo con productores y especialistas en la industria. Se basa en una variedad de prácticas de producción en producciones a pequeña escala (1-2 acres). La información en este documento está destinada solo como una guía para estimar los requisitos financieros de una plantación ya establecida de maracuyá. Estimamos un rendimiento neto de $2.772/acre/año o $0,98/libra el cual es un retorno económico muy atractivo comparado al de otras frutas tropicales de la zona.

Preparing for and Recovering from Hurricane and Tropical Storm Damage to Tropical Fruit Groves in Florida

Jonathan H. Crane, Jeff Wasielewski, and Carlos F. Balerdi

The estimated destruction to tropical fruit crops caused by recent hurricanes and tropical storms (1992, 1994, 2004, 2005, and 2018) was in the hundreds of millions of dollars. As with the aftermath of previous hurricanes, growers are currently assessing their options, such as replanting, rehabilitating damaged trees, and repairing equipment and irrigation systems. They are also assessing their economic situation. 

Growing Miracle Fruit for Specialty Crop Production in Florida

Lynhe Demesyeux, Maria Brym, and Alan H. Chambers

Miracle fruit is the botanical source of miraculin and an understudied tropical fruit species with potential as a natural, noncaloric sweetener. Miraculin changes the perception of sour (acidic) foods and beverages to sweet by temporarily modifying taste receptors on the tongue. This report provides background information on growing miracle fruit, information on miracle fruit yield, and research on miraculin content to commercial growers and those interested in gardening in southern Florida. Written by Lynhe Demesyeux, Maria Brym, and Alan H. Chambers, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department; 6 pp.

Achachairú (Garcinia humilis) Fruit Trees: Botany and Commercial Cultivation in South Florida

Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Ali Sarkhosh, Muhammad A. Shahid, and Bruce Schaffer

This article provides detailed information on the achachairú’s characteristics, botany, and recommended horticultural practices for commercial growers and county and state Extension faculty in south Florida and is also applicable for homeowners and students interested in growing achachairú. Written by Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Ali Sarkhosh, Muhammad A. Shahid, and Bruce Schaffer, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, March 2024.

Choosing the Right Blackberry Cultivar in Subtropical Florida

Shinsuke Agehara, Syuan-You Lin, and Zhanao Deng

A UF/IFAS numbered peer reviewed Fact Sheet. Published by Plant Systems

Frutos tropicales y subtropicales para los patios y jardines: alternativas a los cítricos

Michael S. Orfanedes, Jonathan H. Crane y Carlos F. Balerdi

UF/IFAS fact sheet