Below are images of typical tropical fruiting trees that can be grown in Central and Southern Florida Edible Landscapes.  We offer these and more for purchase and installation into your Landscape.  Pricing List coming soon on a per plant basis.

Avocado:
 

The Avocado is probably the most nutritious of all fruits. Because it is commonly used in salads it is widely considered a vegetable. Avocados are very nutritious fruits with the highest energy value of all fruits. The flesh contains sugar, proteins and highly digestible oil which is very similar to olive oil. Avocados contain vitamins A, B and E.  Ripe fruits are eaten fresh or used in salads. Avocado fruits are not sweet, but have a fatty flavor, and a smooth creamy texture. They have a higher fat content than other fruits. An unripe fruit is hard, but when ripe it will feel a bit soft when pressed in the palm of the hand. The flesh of ripe fruits has a typical greenish yellow to golden yellow color.  Avocados can be grown from seed but vegetative propagation by grafting is needed, as cultivars are very heterozygotous.  Not susceptible many insect pests, but scale insects, mealybugs and mites may cause some problems.  Can be grown on different types of soils but prefers deep well aerated soils. Avocado cannot stand waterlogging so it requires good drainage. If there is a danger of waterlogging the trees should be planted on mounds.  Prefers full sun.

Banana:

Banana don't grow on trees. The "banana tree" is in fact a herbaceous plant which looks like a tree.   Bananas have big, oblong or elliptic leaves with fleshy stalks. Most plants have between 5 and 15 leaves, which are arranged in a spiral. leaves can be up to 3 meter long and 60 cm wide. Older leaves often get damaged and have a ragged appearance. Usually leaves are entirely green, but sometimes green with maroon spots, and sometimes they underside of the leaf may be red purple in color.   Bananas are herbaceous plants and have a pseudostem. Because of this pseudostem, which can reach 2-8 meter, they are sometimes mistaken for trees. The pseudostem is a cylinder of leaf-petiole sheaths.  Prefers deep, well-drained soil. Bananas can grow and produce fruits under very poor conditions.   Banana plants have suckers that spring up around the main plant forming a clump or "stool'. When the main plant fruits and dies, it will be replaced by the the eldest sucker. This process of succession can continue forever.
The suckers are used for propagation. Suckers are usually transplanted just before they produce wide leaves that resemble those of the mature plant but smaller.
Banana seeds are only used for propagation in breeding programs.   Banana bunches are harvested with a curved knife when the fruits are fully developed (75% mature). They then ripen naturally.   Bananas are usually grown for the fruits, sometimes for the production of fibers, and sometimes they are grown as ornamental plants. In some countries the flower of the banana plant (also known as banana blossom or banana heart) is used as food. It can be eaten raw or it is cooked as an ingredient in soups and curries.

Blueberry:

Besides their exquisite flavor, blueberries are also touted for their health benefits. Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center have found that blueberries rank number one of fruits with cancer fighting antioxidant activity. They are also known to slow the age related loss of mental capacity, fight cardiovascular disease, stroke, urinary tract infections, and to improve eyesight. They can be planted as a specimen or container grown with ease.

Carambola (Star Fruit):

Star fruits get their name from their shape, which is like a 5-pointed star.  The fragrant flowers have a pink color and are about 1 cm in diameter. Flowers are borne in clusters in axils of leaves on young branches, or they grow on older branches without leaves. The trees bloom several times throughout the year.   The leaves are spirally arranged and 15 to 25 cm long. Leaves have 5 to 11 nearly opposite, ovate-oblong leaflets. These leaflets are 4 to 8 centimeter long. The leaves are soft, medium-green, and smooth on the upper surface. The underside is faintly hairy with a whitish color. The leaflets are sensitive to light and usually fold together at night or when the tree is disturbed.  Carambola fruits are ovate to ellipsoid in shape. They are 6 to 13 cm long and the fruits have 5 (sometimes 4 or 6) longitudinal ribs. The fruit has a golden-yellow to green color. When cut across it shows a 5-pointed star shape, which is why it is also called "star fruit". The crunchy fruits have a slightly tart, acidic, sweet taste. The fruit starts out with a green color. As it ripens the color turns to yellow. The fruit cab be eaten in both the green and yellow stages.  Carambola grows in Tropical and sub-tropical climates. The carambola tree has a much-branched, bushy, broad, rounded crown.  Prefers rich loam, but also grows well on sand, heavy clay or limestone. It cannot stand flooding and needs good drainage.   Starfruit is typically a slow growing tree & propagated from seed. Fruits fall to the ground when fully ripe. Hand pick the fruits when mature (pale green with a touch of yellow).  Fruits are eaten fresh or are used to make juice.  

Coconut Palm:

Almost every part of the coconut palm has some use. The coconut water (coconut milk) that fills the space in the center of the coconut can be used as a drink. The white flesh (endosperm) can be eaten fresh, or is used in a variety of dishes. From the dried endosperm (copra) coconut oil can be extracted, which is used in soap and other cosmetic products. The fibers of the husk of the coconut can be used in the production of ropes, mats, brooms and brushes.  The egg-shaped (ovoid) fruits are up to 35 cm long and 30 cm wide. They have a green color which turns to brown in mature fruits. The outer part of the fruit is a thick fibrous husk. Inside this is the almost spherical nut which has a hard woody shell that is rather hairy on the outside. The nut can measure from 12 to 20 cm in diameter and up to 25 cm long. On one end of the nut are three round soft spots which are called the eyes. Inside the nut is a layer of white flesh, which is called copra. This layer of meat is very thin in younger fruits, and becomes harder and thicker (up to 2 cm) in older fruits. The central space of the nut is filled with a sweet liquid, which is called coconut milk. Especially the younger fruits contain a lot of this coconut water.  Requires full sun and a humid climate.   The coconut is tolerant to brackish soils. Can be grown on many soils as long as they are well drained.  Coconuts are slow growing and are propagated from seed.

Coffee:

When you think about a cup of coffee you are probably not thinking about fruits. But coffee starts with the bright red fruits of the coffee plant. The seeds of these fruits are the coffee beans, which are roasted and then used to prepare coffee. The coffee plant has its origin in Ethiopia where it was discovered around 800 AD in the Kaffa region.  There are about 10 species of Coffea. The 3 most commonly used are Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora, and Coffea liberica.  Flowers are white and can be 10 to 15 mm in diameter. Flowers grow in clusters and have an nice aromatic smell.  The leaves are opposite, with an elliptic-ovate to oblong shape. Leaves are from 6 to 15 cm long and from 4 to 8 cm wide. The leaves are glossy with dark green color.  Coffee berries are round to oblong and about 1 cm long. At first they are dark green in color, but as they mature they turn first yellow and finally red. Each berry contains two seeds, which are what we call the coffee beans.  Coffee requires a cooler tropical climate.  All flowers bloom simultaneously.  Coffee prefers rich fertile soils. Responds well to compost and manure and the use of a thick mulch.   Usually propagated by seed, but also grafting.  Coffee fruits take 7 to 9 months to mature. The color changes from dark green, via yellow to bright red. 

Fig:

The fig is a picturesque deciduous tree, to 50 ft tall, but more typically to a height of 10 - 30 ft. Their branches are muscular and twisting, spreading wider than they are tall. Fig wood is weak and decays rapidly. The trunk often bears large nodal tumors, where branches have been shed or removed. The twigs are terete and pithy rather than woody. The sap contains copious milky latex that is irritating to human skin. Fig trees often grow as a multiple-branched shrub, especially where subjected to frequent frost damage. They may be espaliered, but only where roots may be restricted, as in containers.

Fig leaves are bright green, single, alternate and large (to 1 ft length). They are more or less deeply lobed with 1 - 5 sinuses, rough hairy on the upper surface and soft hairy on the underside. In summer their foliage lends a beautiful tropical feeling.

The tiny flowers of the fig are out of sight, clustered inside the green "fruits", technically a synconium. Pollinating insects gain access to the flowers through an opening at the apex of the synconium. In the case of the common fig the flowers are all female and need no pollination. There are 3 other types, the caprifig which has male and female flowers requiring visits by a tiny wasp, Blastophaga grossorum; the Smyrna fig, needing cross-pollination by caprifigs in order to develop normally; and the San Pedro fig which is intermediate, its first crop independent like the common fig, its second crop dependent on pollination.

The common fig bears a first crop, called the breba crop, in the spring on last season's growth. The second crop is borne in the fall on the new growth and is known as the main crop. In cold climates the breba crop is often destroyed by spring frosts. The matured "fruit" has a tough peel (pure green, green suffused with brown, brown or purple), often cracking upon ripeness, and exposing the pulp beneath. The interior is a white inner rind containing a seed mass bound with jelly-like flesh. The edible seeds are numerous and generally hollow, unless pollinated. Pollinated seeds provide the characteristic nutty taste of dried figs.

Guava:

Round or pear-shaped fruits, usually 5-10 cm in diameter. The fruit has a thin peel, usually pale green or yellow when mature. Some varieties have pink or reddish fruits. The flesh is rather hard (like an apple) and usually white or pinkish in color. The fruit contains many small hard seeds and has a strong, very characteristic sweet taste. Some varieties are seedless. Fruits have a high vitamin C content. Ripe fruits are eaten fresh. Fruits can be stewed for use in pies and are lso used to make jam or juice or jelly. Guava leaves are sometimes used medicinally for diarrhoea. Leaves can be used for dying and tanning.

Lychee:

Lychee is a juicy fruit belonging to the soapberry family. It is a tropical fruit tree, widely found in southern  China , southern Taiwan , northern Vietnam , Indonesia and the Philippines . India also has lychee as a seasonal summer fruit. The fruit grows on an evergreen tree, with pinnate leaves. It is a drupe, externally covered by a pink-red rough textured rind, easily removable.

Lychee contains sweet layered white flesh, enveloping a brown colored seed. The taste somewhat resembles that of grapes and is also quite juicy. Apart from its sweet and tangy flavor, Lychee has significant health and nutritional benefits

 

• Lychee helps in increasing the energy of the body.
• It increases fluids in the body, which are required for good health.
• It enhances the feeling of well being.
• Lychee is extremely rich in Vitamin C and contains approximately 40 percent more vitamin C than orange.
• It even has high levels of Beta carotene, greater than that found in carrots.
• Lychee is considered diuretic and digestive.
• It contains unsaturated fatty acids, which help in the absorption of beta carotene, and many other fat soluble vitamins.
• It even helps to prevent blood clots, severe cell damage and reduces strokes, up to 50%, in heart attack patients.
• It is a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, which are quite essential for the body.

At 72 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of flesh, Lychees are a very good source for this essential vitamin. Lychee is rich in Vitamin C and potassium. It is low in calories; almost on Lychee has 7 calories. Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium, it is high in copper. The nutritional value and health benefits of Lychee make them suitable for Maintaining optimum health, and weight loss.

The health benefits of Lychee fruit are impressive and are often overlooked in countries where Lychee fruit are common and also in most countries where Lychee fruit are not found in abundance. Lychee fruit is good for overall health and wellness.

 

Lychee fruit is particularly good for gastrointestinal health. Research has also shown that Lychee fruit may provide impressive anti-breast cancer properties. A study published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology shows that Lychee fruit slows the formation and progression of breast cancer through several mechanisms including apoptosis.

Many studies have shown that eating lychee fruit may reduce the risk of cancer. One such study was a published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology showing that lychee fruit inhibits the formation and progression of breast cancer.

At maturity, lychees are about 1 to 2 inches in size and have bumpy, pinkish-red outer layers. When the rough outer layer is removed, the lychee fruit exposes a succulent, translucent flesh that likens the texture of grapes.

Lychees are a very good source for Vitamin C. Three Lychee fruits would meet a third of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement. They are also a good source of riboflavin, potassium and copper. Lychee fruit is good for overall health and wellness. Lychee fruit is particularly good for gastrointestinal health. Research has also shown that lychee fruit may provide impressive anti-breast cancer properties. 


Mango:

Mango is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world and is often known as the "apple of the tropics".  Leaves are usually dark green above and pale below. Flushes of young leaves are usually reddish or yellowish.  Can be found in Lowland tropical and subtropical areas. Requires a frost-free climate. Must have warm dry weather to set fruit.  Pollination by flies, hoverflies, bees. High humidity and rain will result in poor pollination. Mango trees are monoecious and self-fertile.  Can grow to the height of 10-15 meter (but sometimes higher).  Propagation achieved by grafting of selected cultivars on seedling rootstocks.  From flowering to maturity takes 100-150 days.

Papaya:

Papaya is cultivated throughout the tropics for its fruits which make a delicious breakfast or dessert.  Papaya has pleasant smelling flowers with five cream-white to yellow-orange petals  of 2 to 5 cm length. The stigmatic surfaces are pale green in color. The stamens are bright yellow.  The spirally arranged leaves are on the top of the trunk. The lower part of the trunk shows the scars from earlier leaves and fruits. The large leaves are about 50-70 cm in diameter, they are deeply lobed with 7 lobes. Smooth skinned fruits. Papaya fruits vary a lot in size and shape, depending on the variety and type of plant (round, oval, pear-shaped, etc.). Fruits can be small ( afew hundred grams) to big (several kilos). Usually the fruits contain many seeds surrounded by the smooth yellow to orange-red flesh which usually has a sweet taste.  Based on flower type there are three types of papaya plants: female, hermaphrodite, and male. Hermaphrodite flowers are usually self-pollinating. Female flowers are probably pollinated by wind or by insects (thrips, moths). Hand pollination can be used for better fruit setting.  Papayas need a lot of sunlight.   apayas prefer light, well-drained soils. They do not like very wet soil. Papayas are usually propagated by seed.   Harvest by hand when most of the skin is yellow-green. Then keep the fruit for ripening at room temperature for several days. The fruit is ripe when it feels soft and its skin has attained an amber to orange color.  Eat papaya as a fresh fruit. Peel the skin, then slice the content and remove the seeds. To enhance the taste squeeze some lemon juice over it. Papaya can be mixed in fruit salads.

Pineapple:

Vegetative propagation is done by using the crowns (tops), slips, ratoons, and suckers. Seeds are used only in pineapple breeding programs to develop new varieties.   Pineapple is a herbaceous perennial plant.  Prefers well-drained, sandy loam with a high organic matter content.  Mealybugs. Mealybugs are often spread by ants. The ants protect the mealybugs. Controlling the ants may help to control the mealybugs. Some minor pests include nematodes and mites.

Key Lime:

Key limes are small, somewhat larger than a walnut, oval in shape with a thin yellowish rind which are prone to splotchy brown spots. They are aromatic and very juicy, with a stronger and more complex acidic flavor than Persian limes. The evergreen trees are 7 to 8 feet tall, shrubby, crooked and thorny, with shiny green leaves. Both Persian and Key Limes have a higher sugar and citric acid content than lemons, and Key limes are more acidic than Persian.  Keylimes grow well in South Florida and can grow well in Central Florida with use of microclimates.

Meyer Lemon:

This tree produces fragrant white flowers from spring through summer, singly or in clusters along the freely branching boughs. Then classic yellow fruits, 4 to 6" in length, but with a slightly sweeter, less tart taste than those in the grocery store, ripen in the winter. The "improved" Meyer lemon is both more cold and disease resistant than the original, and is an excellent choice for indoors, as well as outside culture. Attractively potted in terra cotta resin 12.5”W x 12.5”D x 11”H patio pots (10-20% larger than a standard 5-gallon container), ideal for balconies and small urban growing
areas.

Natal Plum:

Natal plum is a dense, closely branched spiny evergreen shrub or small tree up to 20 ft (6.1 m) in height. Most of the cultivated forms are much smaller, though. The dark glossy green leaves are ovate, 1-3 in (2.5-7.6 cm) long, thick and leathery, and arranged in opposing pairs. Forked spines, about 1-2 in (2.5-5.1 cm) long, arm the branches and the ends of the twigs. Broken twigs exude a white milky sap. Natal plum produces an abundance of white starlike flowers with five thick and waxy petals. The flowers are about 2 in (5.1 cm) across and sweetly fragrant, like orange blossoms, especially at night. The edible fruit is a pretty plum shaped red berry abut 2 in (5.1 cm) long which tastes like sweet cranberries. Natal plum blooms almost all year long and most of the time both flowers and fruit are present.