Fruits
Figs – Identifying
Identifying flowers is easy compared to identifying figs. There are hundreds of varieties grown around the world. Some are only capable of being grown in a certain part of the world. Ray Givan is a Georgia fig expert who has...
Cherry
Prunus avium (Sweet Cherry); Prunus cerasus (Pie Cherry) Sweet Cherry is very difficult to grow in the Southeast. High summer humidity and temperature fluctuations in winter prevent fruiting in most years. • Much more information can be found in The...
Quince
Cydonia oblongaSeveral types of Quinces are grown in the South. Before there were super-sour candies, schoolchildren dared each other to eat a slice of quince fruit. The Common Quince discussed here (Cydonia oblonga) forms a small tree. • More detailed...
Persimmon
Diospyros spp.Persimmons can be grown throughout the Southeast. Opossums and humans enjoy the fruit each October. Fruit of the native Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is about the size of a plum. Oriental Persimmons (Diospyros kaki) are larger and have less astringency...
Pomegranate
Punica granatum Pomegranates grow as dense, bushy shrubs 6 to 12 feet tall with thorny, slender branches. Where winters are mild they may be trained into small, multi-trunked trees. • More detailed information can be found in The Georgia Fruit...
Muscadine Grape
Vitis rotundifolia Muscadines are truly a fruit that puts the South in your mouth. They were discovered here by the early settlers and have been a favorite fruit of Southerners since. • More detailed information can be found in The...
Fruit – Pollination Requirements
In order for a plant to produce fruit, the flowers must be pollinated. In general, insects and wind will take care of the mechanics of this for you. However, you must have flowers that provide the pollen in order for...
Muskmelon
Cucumis melo var. reticulates Muskmelons are vine crops, closely related to cucumbers, squashes, and pumpkins. These hot-weather plants with sweet, juicy fruit are commonly called cantaloupes, especially the small, smooth, and round ones shipped from the South and available in...
Pear
Pyrus cv. Pears would be as plentiful as Apples were it not for the bacterial disease called fire blight. Most European and Oriental Pears are extremely susceptible to the disease and commercial production is limited to areas remote from any...
Fruit – Homeowner Spray Guide
Georgia is a great state for fruit production. Unfortunately, it is also a great state for the insects and diseases which limit fruit production. Growing fruit organically is possible…but it demands a huge amount of time and effort. Most novices...
Miracle Berry
Berries that make a lemon taste sweet?? When retired Fernbank Science Center naturalist David Funderburk sent me a note about his trip to Fort Lauderdale, I had to save it for reference: ————— Walter - Occasionally I encounter a “new”...
Citrus – Cold-hardy
I am frequently asked if there is any citrus plant that can be grown outdoors year-round in Atlanta. Unfortunately, there is none. Freezing temperatures doom them in winter. Further south, gardeners tell tales of certain citrus that “has grown in...
Fire Blight
Apples, crabapples and pears are susceptible in spring to a bacterial disease known as fire blight (fireblight). The most noticeable symptom is the sudden death of the new leaves at the end of a branch. The dead sprouts may be...
