University of Florida Plant Information

Japanese Persimmon Cultivars in Florida

SP101

Japanese persimmons, Diospyros kaki L., originated in China and were frst grown in Florida in the 1870s. At one time, there were commercial plantings of astringent types, numbering about 22,750 trees. Because of marketing difculties, this industry ceased. California is the largest producer of Japanese persimmons, followed by Florida and southern Texas. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture data for all persimmons in the United States, most plantings are on a small scale. Of the nearly 2,400 farms growing the fruit, about 70% have less than 1 acre, and 90% have less than 5 acres. Current acreage in Florida is estimated to be 266 acres as of 2017, down from 324 in 2012 and from the estimated high of 500 acres in the mid-1990s. However, the number of farms in Florida growing the fruit has increased from 164 to 227 during the 2012 to 2017 period, further emphasizing the small-scale nature of average acreage of persimmons per farm. Trees grow and fruit best in central and northern Florida and can produce high yields of good-quality fruit. In south Florida, fruit quality is better with astringent types than with nonastringent types.

1. This document is SP101, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date April 1994. Revised February 2020. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.uf.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. This is a major revision of Oriental Persimmons in Florida by E. P. Miller and T. E. Crocker, available at https://ufdc.uf.edu/IR00005924/00001.

2. Ali Sarkhosh, assistant professor and Extension specialist, Horticultural Sciences Department; Peter C. Andersen, professor emeritus, Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center; and Dustin Huf, biological scientist, Horticultural Sciences Department; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Growing Feijoa Fruit in Florida

HS1424

Te fruits from Feijoa sellowiana Berg (feijoa) are also known as pineapple guava or guavasteen (Figure 1). Feijoa belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes the common guava Psidium guajava, though it is distinctly diferent. Te feijoa is native to southern Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and is grown throughout the world in tropical and subtropical climates, with an occasional incursion into protected temperate environments. Egg-sized fruits are harvested from a slow-growing shrub that may be trained as a tree. Te leaves have a glossy, dark-green topside and a white, felt-like underside. Large caliper stems develop a gray-colored bark. Feijoa is ofen found in central and north Florida landscapes as a durable and cold-hardy plant for hedges and foundation plantings, and as a dooryard fruit. Its value as a potentially heavy producer of favorful fruits (and favorful fowers) is frequently overlooked due to issues in pollination and limited genetic improvement.

1. This publication is HS1424, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date December 2021. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.uf.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Kevin Folta, professor; Dustin Huf, biological scientist; and Ali Sarkhosh, assistant professor and Extension specialist; Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Pineapple Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

HS7

Scientific Name: Ananas comosus

Common Names: pineapple and ananas in English, piña in Spanish, nanas in Javanese and Malay, apangdan in Tagalog (Filipino), and yaannat, sapparot, or bonat in Thai

Family: Bromeliaceae

Related Species: bromiliads, Spanish moss, and tillandsia

Origin: Central and South America and the Caribbean

Distribution: Grown throughout tropical and warm subtropical areas of the world.

History: Pineapple has apparently been cultivated by indigenous people of the tropical Americas and the Caribbean Region for thousands of years. New World explorers then distributed pineapple during the 1500s to 1700s to new areas including Europe, Africa, and Asia. The commercial export trade began during early 19th century from the West Indies. This led to further commercial development in the Caribbean during the mid-19th century. However, with the improvement in refrigerated sea transportation by the end of the 19th century, production shifted to Hawaii, Asia, and Africa. In the US, Puerto Rico and Hawaii have moderately large and important industries. Pineapples are not grown commercially in Florida but are common dooryard yard plants in warm locations throughout the state. The first recorded introduction of pineapple into Florida was in 1860.

Roselle—Hibiscus sabdariffa L.

HS659

Roselle is a common garden plant in the tropics and grows readily in Florida. Other names are red sorrel, Indian sorrel, and Florida cranberry. In the south it serves as somewhat of a substitute for cranberries. ‘Victor’ is a good variety grown in south Florida.

Description

The okra-like plant is an annual, 5–7 feet in height, with lobed leaves sometimes used for greens. The narrow leaves and stems are reddish-green in color.

Sapodilla Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

HS1

Scientific name: Manilkara zapota

Common names: English—naseberry, chikoo, chiku, dilly. Spanish—chicle, chicozapote, níspero, zapote, zapotillo.

Scientific name synonyms: Manilkara achras, Achras sapota, A. zapota, Sapota achras

Family: Sapotaceae

Relatives in same family: mamey sapote, canistel, caimito, lucumo, green sapote, abiu, satin leaf.

Origin: Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula) and Central America

Distribution: The United States, Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Importance: Sapodillas are extensively planted and consumed locally in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, India, and some Asiatic countries.

Invasive potential: Sapodilla has been assessed by the IFAS Invasive Plants Working Group as invasive in south and central Florida and is not recommended by UF/IFAS for planting. For more information see: Fox, A. M., D. R. Gordon, J. A. Dusky, L. Tyson, and R. K. Stocker, (2005) UF/IFAS Assessment of the Status of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas [Cited from the internet (November 2016) at http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/].

White Sapote Growing in the Home Landscape

HS1054

Scientific Name: Casimiroa edulis and C. tetrameria and hybrids

Common Names: white sapote and casimiroa (English), zapote blanco (Spanish), sapote blanc (French)

Family: Rutaceae Relatives: Wooly leaf white sapote (C. tetrameria) Origin: Highlands of central Mexico and Central America.

Distribution: Throughout tropical highland and subtropical areas of Latin America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean region, India, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

History: White sapote was introduced into the US circa 1810.

Importance: White sapote is generally harvested from seedling trees and sold in local markets. However, white sapote is grown on a small commercial scale in the US, Australia, and Mexico.

1. This document is HS1054, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 2005. Revised November 2016. Reviewed December 2019. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Jonathan H. Crane, professor and tropical fruit crop specialist, Tropical Research and Education Center; and Carlos F. Balerdi, professor and multi-county tropical fruit crop Extension agent IV (retired), UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Coccoloba uvifera: Seagrape

ENH334

Scientific name: Coccoloba uvifera

Pronunciation: koe-koe-LOE-buh yoo-VIFF-er-uh

Common name(s): Seagrape

Family: Polygonaceae

USDA hardiness zones: 10A through 11 (Figure 2)

Origin: native to Florida, Central America, northwest portion of South America and the Caribbean UF/IFAS Invasive Assessment

Status: native

Eugenia uniflora Surinam Cherry

FPS-202

Scientific name: Eugenia uniflora

Pronunciation: yoo-JEE-nee-uh yoo-nif-FLOR-uh

Common name(s): Surinam cherry

Family: Myrtaceae Plant type: tree

USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11 (Figure 5)

Planting month for zone 9: year round Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round

Origin: native to South America Invasive potential: Invasive and not recommended by UF/ IFAS faculty (reassess in 10 years)

Uses: fruit; superior hedge; container or above-ground planter; trained as a standard; recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; border

Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range

Capsicum annuum Ornamental Pepper

FPS105

Scientific name: Capsicum annuum

Pronunciation: KAP-sick-um AN-yoo-um

Common name(s): ornamental pepper, bush red pepper

Family: Solanaceae

Plant type: annual

USDA hardiness zones: all zones (Figure 4)

Planting month for zone 7: Jun; Jul

Planting month for zone 8: May; Jun

Planting month for zone 9: Mar; Apr; May; Sep; Oct

Planting month for zone 10 and 11: Feb; Mar; Apr; May; Oct; Nov; Dec

Origin: not native to North America Invasive potential: not known to be invasive

Uses: container or above-ground planter; mass planting; border

Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range

1. This document is FPS105, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Revised March 2023. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus; Teresa Howe, former coordinator, Research Programs/Services; Ryan W. Klein, assistant professor; and Gail Hansen, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Tamarindus indica: Tamarind

ENH776

Scientific name: Tamarindus indica

Pronunciation: tam-uh-RIN-dus IN-dih-kuh

Common name(s): tamarind

Family: Fabaceae

USDA hardiness zones: 10A through 11 (Figure 2)

Origin: native to tropical Africa and Madagascar

UF/IFAS Invasive Assessment Status: not considered a problem species at this time, may be recommended

Uses: street without sidewalk; shade; specimen; parking lot island > 200 sq ft; tree lawn > 6 ft wide; highway median

1. This document is ENH776, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 1993. Revised March 2007 and December 2018. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department; Ryan W. Klein, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department; Andrew K. Koeser, assistant professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center; Deborah R. Hilbert, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; and Drew C. McLean, biological scientist, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.