Desert Fruits & Berries (forum)

Katja starts with ...
Does anyone have any information / resources about planting fruit / berries in arid zone areas?(Central Australia). Local knowledge seems to be restricted to planting citrus and mulberries.

Time: 21st January 2010 11:18pm

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About the Author Katja
Alice Springs
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Violet_Cactus says...
Hi Katya, I hope this list of drought hardy fruits and berries helps.
Berberis spp: Barberries
Amelanchier spp
Rhus spp: Sumachs
Craetaegus spp: Hawthorns
Alpine Currant (Ribes alpinum)
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
Shallon (Gaultheria shallon)
Arizona canyon grape (Vitis arizonica)
Wine Palm (Butia capitata)
Chilean Wine Palm ( Jubaea chilensis)
Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Elaeagnus spp
Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
Apple (Malus spp)
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
Fig (Ficus carica)
Olive (Olea europaea)
Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Siberian Peashrub (Caragana arborescens)
Sweet Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus deliciosus)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana)


Time: 22nd January 2010 9:13am

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Original Post was last edited: 22nd January 2010 9:13am

About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Also have a look at this site for new crops with potential

www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-378.html

some interesting arid zone plants. I just received some koubo cactus from a grower after reading about them in Grass Roots magazine.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 22nd January 2010 9:34am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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Violet_Cactus says...
Phil, is koubo cactus called Cereus peruvianus? The one that used to be known as the Apple Cactus? Or is it something completely different?
I am growing Cereus peruvianus. They are lovely plants.I also have the Blueberry Cactus.


Time: 22nd January 2010 2:59pm

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Original Post was last edited: 22nd January 2010 3:01pm

About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Yes C. peruvianus is the one. Apparently it doesn't fruit unless the columns are pruned and there is a pollinator nearby.

Time: 22nd January 2010 10:50pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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Violet_Cactus says...
Phil, mine have not fruited yet, but I'd always assumed it was because they are in pots.
There are lots of fruiting cacti - such a fascinating subject!

Time: 23rd January 2010 2:35pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Try cutting them back. They should then flower and fruit if they are different clones, ie not cuttings from the same plant.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 23rd January 2010 11:16pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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Violet_Cactus says...
Phil, thanks for the tip. Shall do!
Nice photo, by the way.
Here are some more, of Cereus peruvianus fruits.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 24th January 2010 10:58am

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Original Post was last edited: 24th January 2010 11:02am

About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Katja says...
Goodness! MAny thanks. I'm off to investigate what these all look / taste / grow like. Thanks again for your time.

Time: 7th February 2010 10:38pm

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About the Author Katja
Alice Springs
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Kath says...
The fruits of these cacti are delicious, similar but smaller than a dragon fruit.

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/Apple-Cactus-Cereus-peruvianus.htm
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 8th February 2010 11:41am

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About the Author Kath
Cawongla
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Violet_Cactus says...
Yes Kath, and they are so pretty, too!

The other great thing about cacti is that you can eat just about every part of the plant.

Time: 8th February 2010 1:23pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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OregonEagle says...
I am a transplant from Oregon to the Salisbury area of South Australia.
I would like to buy and grow Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium, Berberidaceae). Any ideas where I can get a plant?

Thx. Vicki

Time: 23rd February 2010 12:55pm

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About the Author OregonEagle
Adelaide SA
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Jantina says...
Hi Oregon Eagle, the general population here regard Mahonia aquifolium as an ornamental plant only and it is relatively easy to get a hold of one. There is a big nursery called Virginia Nursery (ph. no. in the book) quite close to Salisbury, if they don't have one in stock they will get it in for you. I hope you like gardening in Oz.

Time: 23rd February 2010 5:45pm

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About the Author Jantina
Mt. Gambier S.A.
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BJ says...
Hi Violet,
How is your Blueberry Cactus?
Are these widely available here?
Do they need cross pollination?

Time: 13th April 2010 9:11pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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Joan says...
I am growing Cereus peruvianus here in Qld. Found dumped cuttings about a metre long and stuck them in the ground. They quickly flowered and grew arms but most surprising were the fruit. Beautiful, big, red, delicious fruit. Larger than the Dragon Fruit I see in Woolies. Best of all though, the seeds I planted have mostly germinated. 90% success! This is a pic of one of my baby Koubo. So tiny, so cute :) I took the pic with my USB microscope on 10X magnification. That tiny pink thing is a little cactus pushing up through the potting mix.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 27th June 2010 6:42pm

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About the Author Joan2
Gympie
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Good to hear your success with seedlings. I happened upon one with fruit on a main highway the other day and helped myself to the fruit - will give the seedlings away to local gardeners who have single, unpollinated plants to allow their cactus to set fruit. Most growers of this plant don't realise the potential of the ornamental growing in their own front yard.

Time: 28th June 2010 5:07am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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amanda says...
Interesting info guys! The rabbits ate mine - believe it or not....i had no idea they could grow fruit like that either Phil...

Time: 28th June 2010 4:41pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton. WA
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Rev says...
heres altered list for you
given your locality , water, heat and frost issues

Grapes
Wine Palm (Butia capitata, B yatay etc)
Pondoland palm
Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Kaffir plum (Harpephyllum caffra)
Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
shahtoot Mulberry (Morus macroura ) ?
Fig (Ficus carica)
Olive (Olea europaea)(try barouni)
Sweet Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Indian fig (opuntia ficus indica)
Garambullo (Mytrillocactus geometrizans)
Marula (Sclerocarya birrea)
Carob
Desert lime (citrus glauca)
Bush tomato
Desert sweet potato (ipomoea costata)
Capers
Native caper bush
Cereus (kubo)
Argan nut
Jujube
Yellow passionfruit
Quandong
mesquite (if legal)
Stenocereus griseus


prob plenty more with microclimate!


Time: 30th June 2010 3:34am

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About the Author Rev
north qld
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