Fruit Tree Planting Guide for the Subtropics

Fruit tree planting guide for the Subtropics

Fruit tree planting guide including nut trees for anyone who is thinking of setting up their own family garden plot so they can grow their own fruit and vegetables. It is designed for the subtropical area around the north east coast of New South Wales Australia. Happy gardening and ultimate self sufficiency and good health.

Species List of Sub-tropical Fruit and Nut plants

KEY

T Tropical climate
D Dry climate
W Suitable in a windbreak hedge
B Bushfood
Some of these fruits are easy enough to grow in a Subtropical region. Tropical species may not survive in this climate, though you may be lucky in a suitable microclimate. Note all citrus will do well in a subtropical climate.

All Citrus grow well in the subtropics

T Akeenut (Blighia sapida)  hot moist location
D Almond (Prunus commonis) dry and cool.
Apple (Malus spp.)  There are varieties such as Tropical Beauty available that are suited to the Subtropics. Thrives on wood ashes (potassium rich).
D Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) Look for low chill varieties. Cold south facing slope of cold gullies, valley floors or ridge tops.
Avocado (Persea gratissima)  warm, deep organic soil with good drainage, shelter from westerlies; seedlings have a great deal of variation and are usually tall, choosing many grafted varieties can ensure avocadoes for up to nine months.
Barbados Cherry (Malphigia glaba)  full sun, hardy, grows from seed.
Black sapote (Diospryos digyna)  N.E. slope, chocolate pudding-like fruits.
Boysenberry  cold S. E. to south slope, hardy plant underneath acacias.
W Brazilian Cherry (Eugenia mitchellii)  hardy, several crops per year, likes moisture, grows from seed.
W,B Bunya Pine (Auracaria bidwillii)  very hardy even in cow paddocks, keep away from zones one and two, grows from seed.
W,B Candlenut (Aleurites moluccana)  Express the oil which is used in paint, varnish, linoleum and soft soap, dry out the seeds and use as candles, the seeds of some varieties are edible once they are baked; there is a candlenut native to north Queensland.
W Cape Gooseberry (Phyalis spp.)  acid soil, sunny location, hardy; prune back late winter after fruiting.
D Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)  dry north to west slope; need to have both male and female trees, both of which can become quite massive.
T Cashew (Anacardium occidentalis)  hot north facing slope, if you are very lucky.
Cherimoya (Annona cherimola)  same conditions as avocado, related to custard apple, but more tropical.
Cherry Guava ( Psidium cattleianum)  hardy hedge shrub, grows from seed.
Chestnut (Castanea spp.)  south slope or cold valleys.
W Chinese Raisin (Hovenia dulcis)  north, N.W. or N.E. slope, hardy.
Citrus (Citrus spp.)  generally hardy, N.E. slope, keep the water up to them, remove all gall wasps late winter.
Coffee (Coffea arabica et al.)  shade, shelter, warm slope, small tree.
T Coconut (Cocos nucifera)  coastal or a bucket of salt per year.
Currant (Ribes spp.)  cold, moist semi-shade.
Custard Apple (Annona spp.)  semi deciduous, same conditions as for avocadoes.
D Date (Phoenix dactilifera)  dry, rocky western slope.
W,B Davidson plum (Davidsonia spp.)  attractive, hardy, jam fruit, native.
T Egg Fruit (Pouteria campechina)  hot, moist slope.
elephant apple (Dillenia indica)  ornamental leaves, curry fruit.
W Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana)  hardy, needs more than one for pollination, windbreak.
D Fig Turkish (Ficus carica)  dry, rocky, hardy.
B Sandpaper Fig (Ficus coronata) native to creek beds, look for plump varieties.
Five Corner Fruit (Averrhoa carambola) N.E. slope, rich soil, likes moisture.
Ginger (Zizyphus gingiber)  shaded, moist; collect the many species.
D Grape (Cissus spp.) ­ Isabella fruits early missing the February rains; hot position with good drainage.
Grumichama (Eugenia dombeyi)  N.E. slope, the best guava, slow growing.
Guava (Psidium spp.)  warm location, hardy, grows from seed; look for the many varieties like Strawberry, Thai, and White Pear.
W Hazelnut (Corylus avellana)  cold, semi shaded south slope, good windbreak tree.
W,B Hicksbeachia (Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia) similar to Macadamia.
W Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)  west to N.W. slope, use pods also for cattle fodder, look for non-prickly varieties.
Inga (Inga edulis)  legume tree, hardy, pioneer in the orchard, all seeds are viable so it could become a weed.
Jaboticaba (Myrtica cauliflora)  from Brazil, slow growing, fruits after 7 years with black cherry like fruits on trunk, moist shaded spot.
Jakfruit (Artocarpus integrifolia)  warm spot, semi-shade, tall tree, fruit on trunk, grows from seed.
W,B Kaffir Plum (Harpenphyllum caffrum)  hardy, good windbreak and forage tree.
W Kei Apple (Dovyalis caffra)  hardy, prickly, need male and female trees, slow growing, apricot like fruit.
T Kola nut (Cola acuminata)  nut tree the extract of which is put into Coca Cola.
Lychee (Lychee chinensis)  N.E. slope with shelter from wind, deep soil, heavy fertilizing, likes, moisture; buy good marcotted ones.
Longan (Euphoria longana)  hardier than Lychee.
W Loquat (Eryobotrya japonica)  very hardy, good windbreak tree.
W,B Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia)  warm slope, moist, deep soil, grow in clumps in paddocks.
W Mango (Mangifera indica)  hot, well ventilated sites, gross feeders when young.
T Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)  hot, moist, shaded site, slow growing, large tree.Yellow Mangosteen (G. xanthochymus)
monstera (Monstera deliciosa)  shade, likes moisture, very hardy.
mulberry (Morus nigra)  both black and white fruits, shade tolerant, likes moisture, deiciduous.
D,W Natal plum (Carissa grandiflora)  very hardy, prickly, good for hedge.
B NATIVE TAMARIND (Diplogottis australis) hardy.
Nectarine (Prunus spp.)  east to N.E. slope, choose tropical varieties, need good fruit fly strategies.
D Olive (Olea europaea)  hot dry spot, high lime requirement.
Pawpaw (Carica papaya)  suits many climates, go for local varieties, rocky, hot spots
Peach (Prunus persica)  east to N.E. slope, choose tropical varieties, need good fruit fly strategies.
W,B Peanut tree (Sterculia quadrifida)  deciduous, native, hardy.
Plum (Prunus domestica)  cold spots, need good fruit fly strategies.
Pear (Pyrus communis)  treat as for apples.
Pecan (Carya pecan) deep soil, valley floor, need several for good pollination.
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)  hardy in all spots, dry the fruits like apricots.
Pitomba (Eugenia luschnathiana)  soft, melting fruit, slow growing.
D Pomegranate (Punica granatum)  hardy bush, open site.
W,B Brown (PLUM) pine (Podocarpus elatus) slow growing, nut producing.
W Raspberry (Rubus spp.) moist, cool, keeep pruned.
T Rambutan (Nephiilium spp.) hot spot, delicious, very tropical.
B RIBERRY (Syzygium leuhmanii)  local native that is popular commercially
T Rollinia (Rollinia deliciosa) jelly like flesh , fruit like custard apple
B Rose apple (Eugenia jambos) hardy native, handsome tall tree, best to keep pruned so as to be able to reach the fruits before the fruit fly does.
T Sapodilla (Achras sapota)  moist soil, well-protected, N.E. slope.
T,B Sea almond (Terminalia catappa)  hardy, coastal, shady.
T Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)  hot, N.E. slope, green and white ones.
D Stone pine (Pinus spp.)  south to S.W. slope, alkaline soil.
T Sugar apple (Annona squamosa)  tropical small version of custard apple
Tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea)  will grow in shade, needs wind protection, hardy.
T Tamarind  ( Tamarindus indica) hot spot, use pods in Asian cooking.
Walnut  (Juglans regia)  fertile deep soil, south to S.E. slope
T Wampi  (Clausena lausium)  N.E. slope, moist, protected.
Wax jambu  N.E. slope, large, hardy tree.
White sapote (Casimiroa edulis)  N.E. slope, likes moisture, tip prune early to encourage branching.