Handy Dandy Tropical Fruit Tree Chart

          I have agonized for days, gathering every useful piece of information I could find about how to grow tropical fruit trees here in the South Florida, and organizing it all into this nice neat  chart. Most of the information came in bits and pieces from various internet sources, so i can't guarantee all of it is 100% perfect. However, much of the info came from recognized reputable sources, including: 
Florida's Best Fruiting Plants, Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs and Vines by Charles R. Boning, 
"Tropical Fruit for the Home Landscape" (a publication on The University of Florida's IFAS extension page- http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_home_tropical_fruit )    
Purdue University's "Newcrop" information site- http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/default.html

The chart is mostly complete, but i will be adding a few bits and pieces to improve it in later updates. I will also be adding a continuation of the chart that includes info on seed sprouting for each plant, how long it takes the plant to bear, and propagation methods. If you think of anything else that might be useful to add onto the chart, or feel there are errors in the information provided, feel free to leave me a comment and I will consider your recommendations. The point of this chart is to provide a free, simple and straightforward guide for laymen to use/refer to when caring for their fruit trees. Feel free to copy, paste, reproduce, and send to anyone you know who is interested in growing tropical fruit. If you are interested, check back every now and then as I will also be doing similar charts for Florida-friendly vegetables, herbs, citrus fruit, groundcovers, and medicinal trees.

Tropical Fruit

Name	Light preference	Soil preference, ph	Water Preference	Height x width	Harvest Season	Native origin	Special considerations
Abiu	Full sun	Fertile soil, plenty of organic matter, with good water-holding capacity 5.5-7.5	Water as needed if soil dries out. Good flood tolerance, low drought tolerance.	20-49’ x 25’	August-October	Western Amazon basin	Wind resistant. Cold tolerant above 30º F
Acerola/ Barbados Cherry	Full sun	Well draining, sandy soil 5.5-7.5	Allow to dry out between deep waterings. Medium Drought tolerance. Flood tolerant.	10-20’ x 15 feet	March - December	Yucatan peninsula	Moderate to high wind resistance. Mature trees should withstand temperatures above 28° F.
Ambarella	Full Sun, partial shade.	Enjoys plenty of organic matter. Not particular to soil type as long as it drains well. Information on soil ph could not be found.	Water may be added when establishing but not required afterward. Moderate drought and flood tolerance.	30-60’ x 50-60’	November through May	Melanesia- Polynesia	Medium wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 29º F
Atemoya (cherimoya x sugar apple)	Full sun	Well drained, tolerant of sand but enjoys rich organic matter 5.5-6.5	Drought tolerant, water more during flower and fruit periods Do not water during fall and winter Low flood tolerance.	15-20’ x 25-30’	August to October and sometimes December to January	American Tropics, Caribbean	Protection from strong winds recommended Cold tolerant above 25º F
Avocado	Full to partial Sun	Tolerant but must drain well 6.2-6.5	Keep on the dry side, otherwise roots may rot, low flood tolerance. Medium drought tolerance.	40’ x 15-20’	Harvested year round but mainly October to May	Central Mexico	Cold tolerant above 22-31º F, depending on the cultivar. Medium wind tolerance.
Banana	Full sun to part shade (50%)	Enjoys well drained deep soil rich in organic matter, tolerates sand and loam. 5.5-6.5	Keep soil moist with deep waterings as needed Flooding of more than 2 days can kill.	20’ x 5-11’	May - November	Southeast Asia	Likes the company of other bananas/plantains Protect from high winds. Cold tolerant above 30º F
Bignay	Full sun to light shade	6.1-7.5	Average, don’t overwater. Average flood tolerance. Good drought tolerance.	10-25’ x 40-45’	Late summer- fall-winter	Southeast Asia	Wind tolerance undetermined. Cold tolerant above 27º F
Breadfruit	Full sun	Deep, fertile, well drained, light and medium soils, Tolerates sandy soil. 6.1-7.4.	Keep soil lightly moist by watering if rainfall is insufficient. Some varieties (camansi/breadnut) are flood tolerant. Low drought tolerance except for “Manitarvaka” variety.	85-100’ x 30-40’	January - March	New guinea and Micronesia	High winds can break branches esp. with fruit, but they regrow quickly afterward. Cold tolerant above 40º F
Caimito (star apple)	Full sun	Well drained, fertile soil and sand or rock. Tolerates ph up to 7.5	Keep soil lightly moist by watering if rainfall is insufficient.	50’ x 25’	February - May	Guatemala	Cold tolerant above 28º, young trees may die from an overnight frost.
Canistel	Full sun	Well drained, loamy, tolerant of sand and limestone 5.5-7.5	Water deeply if soil feels dry. Average flood and drought tolerance.	30’ x 25-30’	December - March	Southern Mexico and Central America	Cuttings take long to root. Medium wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 28º F
Carambola	Full sun	Grows most profusely in rich loam but tolerant of most soil types likes acid soil 5.5-6.5	Water deeply when soil feels dry. Average flood tolerance. low drought tolerance.	30’ x 20-30’	March- July Year round	Southeast Asia	Wind tolerant. Cold tolerant above 25º F
Carob	Full sun	Well- drained Dry, rocky 6.2-8.6	Drought tolerant. Natural rainfall should suffice.	50-55’ x 30-40’	September-October	Mediter-ranean	Wind tolerant. Florida is likely too wet to support Carob. Cold tolerant above 20º F
Cashew	Full sun	Well drained, sandy loam soil. Tolerates low fertility. 4.5-6.5	Keep soil moist when establishing in soil. Drought tolerant once mature. Average flood tolerance.	25’ x 40’+	Winter	Northeastern Brazil	Grafting preferred. Protect from high winds. Cold tolerant above 29º F
Cherimoya	Full sun	Rich, well drained loamy soils. Tolerates sand and clay. 6.5-7.6	Keep soil lightly moist in dry periods-  don’t water while plant is dormant. Drought tolerant, low flood tolerance.	15-25’ x 15-20’	October - May	Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru	Low wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 27º F
Ciruela (peanut butter fruit)	Full sun to part shade	Deep, rich sandy soil with moderate drainage 6.1-7.8	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist in the flowering/ growing season.	6-12’ x 10-12’	Late Summer	Tropical regions of the Americas	Wind resistant. Darker leaves = healthier tree Cold tolerant above 30º F zone 10a
Coconut	Full sun	Well drained salt tolerant 5.5-7	Flood tolerant. Water deeply during dry periods. Drought tolerant.	40’ x 18-30’	Year round, when fruit ripens	South Pacific	Wind tolerant Cold tolerant above 27º F
Date	Full sun	Deep, sandy loam soils with good drainage 6-8	Drought tolerant but needs periodic flooding to bear fruit	50-60’ x 25-33’	September-November	Desert Regions of Northern Africa	Cold tolerant above 31º F
Dragon fruit	Full sun to partial shade	Well draining, 1:1 ratio Sand to compost works well. 5.3-6.7	Water deeply when soil dries out.	10’ x 15-25’	September              -     March	Central, south America	Cold tolerant above 29º F
Feijoa	Full sun to partial shade	Well draining, Medium salt tolerance. 5.5 to 7.0	Average flood and drought tolerance.	15’ x 13-16’	August         -    October	South America	Cold tolerant above 12º F Requires about 100 chilling hours to set an adequate crop. Average wind tolerance.
Fig	Full sun	Sandy soil that is medium-dry and contains a good deal of lime 6.0 and 6.5	Water if soil feels dry 3” down. Average flood and drought tolerance.	18’ x 6-8’	Early summer, late summer-Fall	Middle East	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 10º F
Grumichama	Partial shade(best) to full sun	Deep, fertile, sandy loam. Tolerant of less fertile soil. 5.5-6.5	Moderate. Water during dry spells if soil dries. Average flood tolerance.	45’ x 15-20’	May-June. Sometimes a late fall crop also.	Brazil	Can be pruned as a shrub or hedge. Cold tolerant above 25º F Wind resistant.
Guanabana (soursop)	Full sun to partial shade	deep, rich, well-drained, semi-dry soil, tolerates sand and limestone 5.5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist	25-30’ x 25’	June - September	The Caribbean, Central and Northern South America	Cold tolerant above 32º F
Guava	Full sun	Well drained, high organic matter, but tolerates many types. 5-7	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Flood and drought tolerant.	30’ x 10-25’	Year round, mainly Aug- Oct and Feb- Mar.	Mexico, Central America, and northern South America	Low wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 30º F
Ice Cream Bean tree	Full sun	Well drained soil high in organic matter, tolerant of most soil. 5.6-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil moderately moist. Good Flood tolerance. Low drought tolerance.	59’ x 20’	Summer	Central America to Ecuador	Protect from Strong winds Cold tolerant above 30º F
Imbe	Full sun to light shade	Well drained, sandy soils with moderate organic matter.  5.5-7.5	Drought tolerant, average flood tolerance.	20’ x ≈15’	July - August	East Africa	Average wind tolerance. Salt tolerant Cold tolerant above 26º F
Jaboticaba	Full sun	Rich, well drained soil high in organic material 5.5-7	Water deeply as needed when top 1-2” are dry, Flood tolerant. Not drought tolerant.	15’ x 20-30’	Year round	Brazil	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 24º F
Jackfruit	Full sun	flourishes in rich, deep soil of medium or open texture 5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Don’t water in winter. Average drought tolerance. Low flood tolerance (2-3 days).	35’ x 12-15’	May - November	South, Southeast Asia	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 28º F
Jujube	Full sun to partial shade	Well drained, loamy or sandy soil 5.5-6.5 is ideal, can tolerate 5-8	Water as needed to keep soil moist in warm season. Drought tolerant. Average flood tolerance.	25’ x 15-30’	August- September	Southern Asia, Native Africa	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 26º F
Kiwano	Full sun	Does best in well drained, sandy loam but tolerant of many soil types. 6-6.5	Water as needed when soil feels dry	14’ x 18-24”	Early spring and autumn	Southern and central Africa	Zone 10a +
Kiwi	Full sun to part shade	Well drained, rich humus soils. sand tolerant. 5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist.	8’ x 8-15’	November in California	Southeast Asia	Difficult to grow?
Langsat	At least 6 hours of full sun	Well drained, rich in organic matter. Neutral to acid. 6.1-7.5	Water as needed to maintain soil moisture.	15-30’ x 20-30’	April to September in India	Southeast Asia	Cold tolerant above 40º Zone 11+
Longan	Full sun	Well drained, sandy loam 6-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Do not water unless leaves drop after august. Drought tolerant. Low flood tolerance.	35’ x 22-25’	July - August	Southern China	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 25º F
Loquat	Full sun to partial shade	Moderately fertile, well drained sandy loam. tolerant of many types as long as they drain well. 5.5-7.5	Water deeply as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Average flood and drought tolerance.	30’ x 10-30’	January to April	China and Japan	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 10º F
Lychee	Full sun	organically rich, moist soil with good drainage 5.5-7.5	Water deeply as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Average flood and drought tolerance.	35’ x 15-20’	May-June	Southeast Asia and India	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 25-28º F
Mamoncillo	Full sun	Well drained, sandy, rich in organic matter and limestone 6.6-8.5	Drought tolerant- water if dry spells occur during flowering and fruiting.	40-90’ x 20-30’	June - September	Northern South America	Cold tolerant above 30º F zone 10a
Mango	Full sun	Well drained, enjoys organic matter but tolerant of various soils 6-7.2	Once established, rainfall should be adequate for the mango. Water if plant gets droopy. Drought tolerant. Average flood tolerance.	40’ x 20-30’	May-Oct	Southern Asia	Average wind resistance Cold tolerant above 26º F
Mangosteen	Full sun	deep, well drained soil, high in organic matter, sandy loam 5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil moist	20-45’ x 20-30’	July – August November- December (shade)	Southeast Asia	Soak seeds 24 hours prior to germination seeds lose viability 5 days after removal from fruit Cold tolerant above 40º F zone 11+
Miracle fruit	Filtered sun, partial shade	4.5-5.8	Let soil dry between waterings. Low flood and drought tolerance.	10-12’ x 2-3’	Year round	West Africa	Protect from high winds. Cold tolerant above 32º F
Monstera	Filtered sunlight, semi-shade	Well draining, high in organic matter to sandy loam  5.5-7	Water as needed if soil becomes dry. Average flood and drought tolerance.	6’ x 3-5’	Summer- fall	Southern Mexico to Colombia	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 32º brief periods of frost can kill the plant.
Natal plum	Full sun to partial shade	Sand to loam well draining 6.1-7.8	Water as needed if soil becomes dry Drought tolerant. Average flood tolerance.	10’ x 3-5’	Year-round, mainly in Summer	South Africa to Mozambique	Wind resistant. Salt tolerant Cold tolerant above 24º F
Papaya	Full sun	Sandy, loamy or rocky soils likes compost 4.5-8	Water deeply as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Not drought tolerant and easily flood damaged.	15’ x 8’	July- October	Tropical America	Susceptible to wind damage. Cold tolerant above 30º F
Passionfruit vine	Full sun to part shade in hotter areas	Well draining Sandy loam 6.1-7.5	Water as needed to keep soil moist, especially while fruiting. Low flood and drought tolerance.	6’ x 10-15’	July - March	Southern Brazil to northern Argentina	Protect from high winds. Cold tolerant above 25-27º F
Pepino	Full sun to part shade	Well drained, moderately high organic matter 6.5-7.5	Water as needed when soil feels dry	4-6’ x 9-12”	Mid-summer	Chile and Peru	Hardy in zone 9-11
Persimmon	Full sun to part shade	Well drained, loamy soils. Tolerates other soils except light sandy types.  5-6	Water as needed when soil feels dry Drought tolerant. Average flood tolerance.	20’ x 15-20’	Late fall- Early winter	Southeastern United States.	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant throughout Florida, can survive temps as low as -10º F.
Pineapple	Full sun	Well drained, sandy loam with moderate to high organic matter. 5.5-6.5	Average drought tolerance. Water moderately during dry spells. Low flood tolerance.	5’ x 12-36”	May-September	Southern Brazil and Paraguay	Wind resistant. Cold tolerant above 29º F
Pitomba Cherry	Full Sun	Rich loam high in organic matter. Information on soil ph could not be found.	Likes water. Water as needed to keep soil moist. Average flood and drought tolerance.	15’ x 6-8’	May - July	Brazil	Wind tolerant. Cold tolerant above 26º F
Plantain	Full Sun to part shade	Enjoys well drained deep soil rich in organic matter, tolerates sand and loam 5.5-6.5	Keep soil moist with deep waterings as needed Flooding of more than 2 days can kill.	20-25’ x 15-20’	May - November	Southeast Asia	Likes the company of other bananas/plantains Protect from high winds. Cold tolerant above 30º F
Pomegranate	Full sun to light shade	Heavy, moist loam but tolerant of most soil types 5.5-7	Average drought tolerance, Thrives with light moisture, especially before harvest. Low flood tolerance.	15’ x 8-12’	September - February	Middle East	Wind resistant. Cold tolerant above 5-20º F
Rambutan	Full sun to partial shade	Well drained loam, high in organic matter, tolerant of moderate sand or clay mixed in 5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil moist- not drought tolerant.	50-80’ x ≈26’	May - August	Malaysia and Indonesia	Cold tolerant above 40º F Zone 11, likely too cold sensitive for Florida.
Santol	Full sun	Well drained, Sandy soil- tolerant of various soil types.  6.1-7.5	Little information could be found on water requirement, but due to its similarity to the mangosteen, it is likely to require enough water to keep soil lightly moist.	30-40’	August -  September	Myanmar to Malaysia	Wind resistant Cold tolerant above 36º, killed below 31º
Sapodilla	Full sun	Thrives in deep, well drained organic material, but is well adapted to many soil types. Salt tolerant. 4-7	High drought tolerance and above average flood tolerance.	45’ x 25-45’	May - September	Central America	High wind resistance. Cold tolerant above 26-27º F
Sapote, Black	Full sun	Well drained, tolerates most soil but enjoys rich loam with plenty of organic matter. 6-7	Water moderately when establishing and in dry periods. Average flood and drought tolerance.	50’ x 25-39’	December-February others June- August	Eastern Mexico to Colombia	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 28º F, immature trees can be killed at 30º F
Mamey Sapote	Full sun	Thrives in well drained, deep clay/clay loam rich in organic matter, but is adapted to sandy soil also. 5.6-7.5	Water moderately when establishing and in dry periods to maintain light soil moisture. Average flood and drought tolerance.	40’ x 30’	January to April	Native to Central America	Wind resistant. Cold tolerant above 28º F
Sapote, White	Full sun	Well drained Sandy loam, Clay. Tolerant of most soil. Ph 5.5-7.5	Water deeply when soil becomes dry. Drought tolerant, Average flood tolerance.	40’ x At least 20’	May- August	Eastern Mexico to Colombia	Wind resistant. Cold tolerant above 20º F
Seagrape	Full sun to partial shade	Thrives in and is found naturally in sandy soils. Salt tolerant. 5.5-7.5	Water moderately while eastablishing. Average drought tolerance. Good flood tolerance.	30’ x 6-8’ for hedges up to 35’ for trees	September- October	Florida and tropical America	Good wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 23º F
Sugar Apple (anonna)	6 or more hours of direct sun daily	Well drained sandy loam, but well adapted to most soils. Organic material can increase fertility. 5.5-6.5	Drought tolerant but water as needed to keep soil lightly moist during flowering and fruit development. Average flood tolerance.	20’ x 10-20’	June- November	Tropical America	Average wind tolerance. Cold tolerant above 28º F
Surinam Cherry	Full Sun	Well-draining. Grows in most soils 5.5-7.5	Drought tolerant, water moderately during dry spells	4-6’ x 6-10’	Most of the year May-June	Surinam to Brazil	Cold tolerant above 22º F
Tamarillo	Full sun  to partial shade in hotter climates	Well drained light soil, rich in organic matter 5-8.5	Water sufficiently during dry spells to prevent soil from drying out Does not tolerate flooding	10-18’ x ≈10’	March-April	Chile to Ecuador	Cold tolerant above 28º
Tamarind	Full sun	Well drained. Enjoys deep loam but is tolerant of poor soil types 5.6-7	Drought tolerant Average flood tolerance.	50’ x 33-65’	April-June	Tropical Africa	High wind resistance. Salt tolerant Cold tolerant above 26º F
Velvet apple (Mabolo)	Full to partial sun	Tolerant of most well drained soil types. 6.1-7.5	Water moderately in dry periods Average flood and drought tolerance.	35’ x 17’	June - September	Philippines	Average wind tolerance. Dioecious Females produce fruit, males are needed to polinate. Cold tolerant above 28º F
Wampi	Full sun	Does best in rich loam 5-6.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist	12-15’ up to 30’ x 12-15’	September- October	Southern China	Cold tolerant above 25º
Wax Jambu	Full sun	Well drained loam high in organic matter. Information on ph could not be found.	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist. Average drought tolerance. Intolerant of flooding.	16 - 20’ up to 50’ x 20-30’	May- Sept Nov- Mar	Malay Peninsula	Cold tolerant above 28º F