Florida Nursery Plant Sheets

Pitangatuba: The Star Cherry

Common Name(s): Pitangatuba, Star Cherry

Scientific Name: Eugenia selloi (Eugenia neonitida)

Days to Harvest: 3-4 weeks from flowering

Light: Full sun to partial sun

Water: Moderate to high

Soil: Well draining, high organic content

Fertilizer: 2-3 times per year using a balanced fertilizer

Pests: Scale and caterpillars

Diseases: Root rot and leaf spot

Soursop: Annona muricata

The soursop tree is low-branching and bushy but slender because of its upturned limbs, and reaches a height of 25 or 30 ft (7.5-9 m). Young branchlets are rusty-hairy. The malodorous leaves, normally evergreen, are alternate, smooth, glossy, dark green on the upper surface, lighter beneath; oblong, elliptic or narrowobovate, pointed at both ends, 2 1/2 to 8 in (6.25-20 cm) long and 1 to 2 1/2 in (2.5-6.25 cm) wide. The flowers, which are borne singly, may emerge anywhere on the trunk, branches or twigs. They are short stalked, 1 1/2 to 2 in (4 5 cm) long, plump, and triangular-conical, the 3 fleshy, slightly spreading, outer petals yellow-green, the 3 close-set inner petals pale-yellow.

Morton, J. 1987. Soursop. p. 75–80. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.

Puerto Rican “Uplands” Taro: Colcasia esculenta

Common Names: Taro, dasheen, cocoyam, eddo

Mature taro plants reach 3-6 feet tall and wide. The leaves themselves can grow up to 3 feet in size. At the base of the plant is one main tuber, which stores nutrients to last the plant through the winter. Fibrous roots called corms grow from this tuber, as do several smaller tubers.

Our variety of taro comes from Cody Cove Farm in Polk County, FL.

From their website: “Grown in normal garden soil with irrigation, we can harvest 5-7 pounds of corms per plant reliably in a roughly 7 month growing window. Plants produce one large central corm and a good number of side cormels. Our best results in Central Florida have been planting in the last weeks of February or early March. Later plantings seem to have diminishing returns.”

Tropical Oregano: Plectranthus amboinicus

This perennial herb, known as Cuban oregano or Spanish thyme, has a similar tasate and aroma to its namesakes. 

Culture: Blooms appear in a lavender rose, pastel violet, and white color. The leave are a lime green color. Cuban oregano is a flowering herb/perennial; it will last at least up to several years in its native climate. Cuban oregano is know for its habit of growing to a height of approximately 60.96 cm (1.98 feet). it is a low maintenance plant. Since it is a succulant, it can do well even when neglected. The plant grows easily, but doesn't grow out of control. 

Grows well in any soil and enjoys a full/partial sun position. 

Temperature sensitive (should be grown in a pot).