Tips on a seed-grown star fruit tree

13 years ago

Hello

I have a star fruit tree that I started from seed perhaps 2 years ago. It has grown well in a pot and is now about 7.5 feet tall and growing rapidly. The problem is that it's trunk is very thin - if not supported the whole tree just flops in an arch. I cut the trunk back some time ago and a branch turned upward and picked up on where the trunk left off. Should I just keep cutting it back to encourage the trunk to thicken and branch more? Given it's size I am led to believe it may fruit in another year or two, and I find it hard to believe that such a flimsy tree could support even one, let alone many, fruits.

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Comments (8)

ohiojay
13 years ago
Prune prune prune and when you think you're done, prune some more. I cut my seedling starfruit trees back before they even reach 10". You want to encourage branching, strong trunk and branches. Think short and compact. Don't look for your seedling to fruit anytime soon. Put an oscillating fan on the plant. The wind will help strengthen the plant.
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houstonpat
13 years ago
Yeah Va, I echo ohiojay's method. No fruit on mine yet. Perhaps this year. Mine is about 2yo, and holding at about 4-5ft with lots of pruning. I have 2 plants in a 25 gallon container. ~greenhouse in winter, with oscillating fan, open shade outside in summer.
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I was reading about muscadines and found a reference to Jaboticaba. At first I did a double-take, because the webpage was describing what muscadines tasted like and said they tasted more like a Jaboticaba fruit than a regular grape. I looked further and realized the website was for Austrailian gardeners. Then I thought, "What is a Jaboticaba?" and searched for the word. The first thing I saw was a picture that showed the fruit stuck to the trunk of the tree rather than on the tips of the branches, which really peaked my interest. After reading about the Jaboticaba on wikipedia, I immediately went to google shopping, because I had to have one if at all possible. I found an Amazon merchant, Hirt's Gardens, that had them for $15, so I ordered it. The tree is small but darling. Since I live in Zone 7, I may never get it to bear fruit, but it will make a great looking houseplant during the winter for years to come. It can provide company for my ficus tree that I've had for 30 years. The place where I ordered it, sells them for Bonsai growers. It would make a great Bonsai because it has tiny leaves the size of my fingernail. From what I've read, they grow very slowly and make great Bonsai specimens. I'm planning to let it grow as fast as I an get it to grow by keeping it outdoors until frost and then bring it indoors for the winter. My tree from Amazon/Hirt's Gardens is a small leaf variety of Myrciaria Cauliflora. It's funny that the Latin name is "Cauliflora", because when they bear fruit, they remind me of Brussels Sprouts. The one I got is actually prettier than the picture they have online. It is about 9 inches tall and really bushy. They had it pruned to look like a little oak tree or something. How much has yours grown in the past year? I got mine about 2 weeks ago, and it has already put on a new set of leaves over most of the top. It has about 2 inches of fresh new growth this season. Here is a link that might be useful: Jaboticaba Fruit Tree Plant - Bonsai or Houseplant
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Hi Mike, What else can I explain to you because you seem to understand. I think the concept need's to be taken within reason. Total number of nodes or perhaps total number of contiguous nodes which would amount to a certain vegetative size or mass likely has to be fulfilled too. I think that idea of contiguous branching is the missing element in pushing a juvenile into fruiting. That could explain why some seedling citrus become vegetative giants in a tropical greenhouse without going mature. They have many contiguous nodes from unstressed growth but little contiguous branching from unstressed growth. Start stressing a highly vegetative tropical greehouse juvenile with some repeated droughts and it will often go fruiting. The drought stress kills the tip and new growth will be contiguous branching which seem's to follow a idea of contiguous branching being a factor. All I have ever read on the subject is that abstract which I found in a Google search several years ago. However it made perfect sense and my first trial a contiguous branching pruning seemed to work. I welcome you to buy that article and read it.
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Hi Steve... You keep saying that 2 out of three trees die that you buy that are graftings, right? Have you tried to figure out why they die? I think now that you have been a forum member for quite some time that you would not loose a one, but then you would probably have to use better mixes.. Have you ever thought of trying rooted cuttings instead of grafts? This might be your cup of tee if you find that buying grafts are too expensive.. Just a few ideas...But if you insist of growing from seed, then my hats off to you. Most people I know don't have the time or patience to wait for years for their trees with potted trees up north to produce from seeds, and that is why many are wiling to pay the price the way they do. I think many that can grow in-ground don't want to take the chance of some disease such as phytophtora spp. killing their seedlings so therefor turn to better root stock. As for me, I don't have the room or time to wait for seedlings to flower when I can get them to do so as quick as looking at them in the store. if price is not an option, I can understand why a few people grow from seed, but then too I think many in-ground citrus growers use grafted for many reasons too. I think John uses grafted for many reasons.. I think that even those that have the option to plant in the ground still have to wait years for seedlings to produce, let alone grow in pots up here in the north... I have already pulled off limes, lemons, oranges and kumquats off trees no bigger than a foot high..Now for me, that is what I call exciting and fresh produce! Have a nice day Mike This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Sun, Sep 29, 13 at 9:38
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boson
13 years ago
Hi,

A few months ago I had my first fruits on one of my startfruit trees (from seed). It's growing in a large pot. Probably about 4 years old and about 6 ft tall. Unfortunately a storm blow down the fruits before matured.

Tomas
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SunnyLim
9 years ago
My Starfruit tree now has flowers all around.
tree sitting front punch. Inspected found only 8 small fruits
at tips of 3 group of flowers. Is growing in size.
Question is why Not all the flowers are bearing fruits
as my main aim is to have more.
What can I do to make this happen.
Had taken following actions:
1. Organic ferterliser given
2. Water everyday. ( Indonesia is tropics only dry n wet season)
3 Remove weeds around base of tree.
Will Appreciate your directions on the above.
THANKS. Sunny Indonesia Jakarta.
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SunnyLim
9 years ago
My Starfruit tree now has flowers all around.
tree sitting front punch. Inspected found only 8 small fruits
at tips of 3 group of flowers. Is growing in size.
Question is why Not all the flowers are bearing fruits
as my main aim is to have more.
What can I do to make this happen.
Had taken following actions:
1. Organic ferterliser given
2. Water everyday. ( Indonesia is tropics only dry n wet season)
3 Remove weeds around base of tree.
Will Appreciate your directions on the above.
THANKS. Sunny Indonesia Jakarta.
0
tropicbreezent
9 years ago
I'm in (sunny) Darwin and my trees are flowering too. But my problem is that something eats the flowers. Some of the leaves are eaten, but all the flowers are eaten. I've never found what's doing it but hoping this time they'll leave a few for me.. What you might need is a fertiliser higher in potassium (K) and lower in nitrogen (N). Organic fertilisers can be good but sometimes they don't have everything that plants need.
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SunnyLim
9 years ago
Dear All , I would like to seek your kind assistance on below matter.

My Starfruit Tree is blooming n there are fruits growing which I am happy
About.

However quite a many fruits buds are falling from my tree
There are still not fully developed small n some have turned yellow.
Like they are Ripe but still small.

What can be the problems.
Is the tree telling me something.
In need of ferterliser.
Short of water. ( there are not many dried leaves falling
Can be due to Wind ??
THANKS.
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SunnyLim
9 years ago
Dear All ,

If my request msg on advises are appearing on your screen.

Highly appreciate that someone more experienced can give
directions as my fruits are falling immaturely
in a high rate.

Desperate need for advises.

THANKS !!!
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Tips on a seed-grown star fruit tree

Comments (8)

ohiojay

houstonpat

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