What wierd tropical fruits should i try to grow in zone 9b bee county?

[Victor likes palms]

Im looking for interesting or unusual options,  have yall heard of a tamarind tree in Texas?

[Victor likes palms]

Or is it possible to grow a jabuticaba?

[Fishinsteeg234]

I’m in central florida zone 9b, which may be different than 9b Texas, and I’m successfully growing jaboticaba, starfruit, lychee, mango, avocado, banana, pineapple, dragonfruit, monstera, strawberry guava, and peanut butter fruit. I think the most unusual is the peanut butter fruit (Bunchosia glandulifera). Not many people are aware of it. It’s worth a shot if you like peanut butter taste and should be grown under some dappled canopy to avoid frost damage. It truly tastes like peanut butter! It’s bizarre. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Because they can take their time setting fruit, both Jaboticaba ( Common Purple / Black - fruited varieties esp. = can take upward of  6-15+years to set fruit from seed / young plants. Red, Blue, Yellow, and White varieties / species can fruit faster = within ~approx.~ 3-7 or 8 years for example ) and Tamarind ( neighbor has a 16+yr old tree that has yet to set any pods, an issue more likely due to our heat since cold isn't a problem here ) could be iffy / may get whacked by one of TX's famous bad winters before attempting to fruit there.

Jaboticaba can be grown in / will fruit when grown in containers though ( Probably preferable considering they aren't fans of highly alkaline soils )  so you could try those.

Other similar -type fruit trees that can be grown / will fruit in large containers would be Cherry of the Rio Grande, Surinam Cherry, Barbados Cherry, Grumichama ..possibly some others..

Guamuchil and Tamarind ( esp. ) likely would need more space than a container ( that is small enough to be moved -when needed ) can provide to produce fruit.


Would take a look over any threads from TX gardeners on the Tropical Fruit Forum to see what they're able to get away with for other ideas.



 

[epiphyte]

this lady in beaumont texas has a nice collection of tropical fruit trees.  but it's kinda crazy how many trees she's lost.  i shared that video with my texas plant friend and he replied...  

"That's normal for Texas growers. We get together and talk about how much we kill. Our climate brings great challenges. 

Plant people are pretty rare here, because it takes a certain personality to deal with so much disaster and not move on to a different pastime."

[Victor likes palms]

I’ll see when i can go to the nursery to find these, although chances are low considering i live in south texas.

[Victor likes palms]

I would love to grow avocado but I havent heard many success  stories from around my area. Maybe if theyre cold hardy varieties i could try it

 

[ChrisA]

You might check out Turner’s in CC, they have a pretty amazing selection of tropical and subtropicals.  Until 2021 I had a 30 ft tall Avacado tree.  I had just moved to the house the prior fall so I’m not sure if it ever produced.  I’ve heard they do not set fruit well here due to high temperature fluctuations. They Joey variety is supposedly hardy to abou 17F.  I still have my avacado but it keeps getting knocked back to the ground every winter since 2021. I’m not hopeful it will survive if this winter weather continues, let alone fruit.

If you ever get up to San Antonio there is a garden center called Fanick’s that has some tropical fruit for sale that I’ve never heard of. I have seen tamarind for sale there as well.