Well, I purchsed the seeds as a ligularis but the three out of about 10 that germinated turned out to be mostly edulis (which is extremely hard to tell considering all the hybrids....) and they are doing very, very well on a NORTH-facing window with a considerable amount of indirec sunlight. I actually don't really expect flowers or even fruit on them but they make a real nice, green show-stopper anyawy! The seedlings (yes, they still are after a year without sun and a move and all the problems involved...) are doing VERY well and they seem to want to grow all over my windowsill, choking everything else. They have all the properties of the purple-fruit-variety, like green tendrils and the leaf-shape but I'm still not, what they are exactly and I will probably never know.... This Spring, I'm planning on taking cuttings and replanting the original plants into a container with better soil and a bit more (morning) sun. Well, if anybody seems to be interested in one of the cuttings, I'd be able to trade some with some seeds or cuttings of a P. foetida. Anyway! P. edulis make GREAT but very, very vigorous houseplants! Don't be afaraid! If you water them well and keep them in relatively good soil, they seem to be able to withstand all kinds of abuse, except for a real lack of water. I just love them! With or without flowers/fruit! Thanks! Olaf

Karyn, Did you let your Tamarillo die in the cold? If so, when did it go? I'm curious partly because Annie's Annuals claims that they are only hardy to 41 F. I passed on one last time I was there partly because of that: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=306&account=none The only Physalis fruit I've tasted are tomatillos--so the cape gooseberry will be new to me assuming it fruits. I started a few of the seeds early since I have more than I'll need--they germinate quite well and I have a few very young seedlings both inside and outside. I'm really interested in seeing how these turn out. Purdue has a nice collection of articles on them. From one: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=1398&page=241 "Goldenberry fruits are succulent golden spheres the size of marbles with a pleasing taste. They are protected by papery husks resembling Chinese lanterns. The attractive and symmetrical husk with its edible yellow fruit inside gives it an eye-catching appearance and potential market appeal. In most places where they are grown, goldenberries are now considered fruits only for backyard gardens or for children to pluck and eat. Given research, however, they could become commercial fruits of particular interest to the world's up-scale restaurants and bakeries. This is the strategy that established markets for kiwifruit in the 1960s and led to a multimillion dollar annual crop. Goldenberries already carry prestige in some international markets. Europeans, for example, often pay premium prices to dip them in chocolate or decorate cakes and tortes. In addition to having a future as fresh fruits, goldenberries make excellent jam; in fact, in India, they are known commonly as "jam fruit." In the United States they are best known as preserves marketed under the Hawaiian name "poha."" Another article, titled "Goldenberry, Passionfruit, & White Sapote: Potential Fruits for Cool Subtropical Areas" describes their apparently easy cultivation as annuals in Watsonville, about 50 miles South of me (similar climate, slightly cooler highs in summer): http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1993/v2-479.html And yet another: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/cape_gooseberry.html Great to hear about the giant passionfruit. I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that plants arise that produce giant fruit but that it wasn't as tasty. So do you think this is the product of another bud sport? Were there other fruits on that same branch? I guess I'm curious what the chance is that the seedlings will give giant fruit. Grapefruit size--off a regular P. edulis f. edulis plant? I guess I don't know enough to know how unusual that is. Weightwise, how much bigger would you say it was than the others from that vine? We have a loquat that got hundreds of fruits this year. Then I pruned it back literally about 75%--it was necessary and the trees tolerate pretty much anything. I saw one flower spike a week or two ago, I've been meaning to check again to see how well the tree is going to do after all that trauma.

I've never seen root rot on a jaboticaba. Mine, which are in ground of course, are in the lowest point in my entire property. There have been some multi-day rain events that have left standing water in this area for a full 10 days without any root issues. During dry season, I'll let the hose run completely flooding the area. That doesn't leave any standing water for more than a day, but I usually have to do it a day or two in a row before flowering commences. Good luck. Harry

Nope not available anymore. Passion fruit plants apparently only have a three to four year life span before root rot kills them and that's what happened! I was to forgetful to take cuttings for myself and have to buy another plant now. If anyone who wants a cutting emails me around august I should have a bunch when I prune the new one.